A particular highlight of the season for most of the team came in mid September when for the first time ever (but hopefully not the last?) we ran a hen party session for a lively group of 20 something girls. Tim declined to join us, having a much better event to go to, but those of us who did go found the session strangely enjoyable, as did the girls who thanked us profusely afterwards. Amazingly Bob managed to find over 20 different pieces of percussion from her magic basket so they could join in the percussion bits on Fairies before getting the bride Amy and all the guests to walk through the Magic Arch of Happiness at the end …. Aahhh …
And then November’s practices saw us rehearsing our spot for the Bunfight on 27 November, which turned out to be another great night. For once, we hadn’t had to worry beforehand about whether we could fill the hall, thanks to the excellent early publicity from John, and thanks to Jerry having lots of young relatives and friends who still like the morris world and ceilidhs and haven’t got to the bitter, twisted and cynical stage yet though it will come, as it does to us all. Plus I guess having the Committee Band with Nick Walden calling again helped considerably, in fact doing their penultimate ever gig. Great outfits as usual from all the side, and many of the guests, though particular mentions for Paul’s tights, Lee’s Star Wars family, our Bob’s Spacehopper, and Sue and her Bob as the Martians from the Cadbury’s Smash advert, though they seemed to find stripping the willow particularly difficult later on. And well done to Will for doing his jig in bear feet, after 2 sets for the Mazurka had just about avoided too many collisions. And then, after the traditional Irish Bingo, it was time for 16 of us (including Sue and Bob this year) to perform our carefully rehearsed Smurfs dance, a faithful rendition of the fabulous Britannia Coconutters nut dance, done to a recording of their tune which even had inbuilt applause at the end – fortunately. But as usual our efforts seemed to go down very well with our audience though we noted no cries of encore this year. But a fabulous night as always, and great to see a full house all enjoying themselves. And after such a fabulous evening, what better way to follow it up than with a day at the Wokingham Winter Carnival. The weather was fine, though bitterly cold, and we had a good day’s dancing with Borderline and the Exiles before joining the procession through the usual large crowds followed by a dive into The Lord Raglan to thaw out.
