Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: Claire M
Date: 06 Sep 13 - 02:07 PM

Hiya,

I'm passionate about anything like that & I'd love to see a mummer's play [hello mum]

☸ڿڰڿڰۣ—*¨¨*:

·:*¨¨*:·.
(¯`v´¯¯`v´¯)¯`v´¯¯`v´¯)
.¨¨*:(¯`v´¯)(¯`v´¯):*¨¨.
´¯`•._.•¯`•._.´¯`•._.•¯`•._.•

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 05 Sep 13 - 10:36 AM

But can you resurrect this member of my family?

:D

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: The Doctor
Date: 05 Sep 13 - 10:18 AM

I came a doctor by default, and de fault, dear Brutus...
It's a long story, which I will relate if anyone is really interested. Suffice it to say for now that I'm not really.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: GUEST,baz parkes
Date: 05 Sep 13 - 08:54 AM

How came'st thou a doctor?

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 04 Sep 13 - 10:09 AM

As one doctor to another (Abram/Lancaster Pace Egg, at times Doctor, Hector, Slasher and the King of Egypt!)...

Break a leg :-)

Cheers

DtG

I can cure the itch, the stitch, the palsy and the gout.
Pains within and pains without.
If a man has nineteen devils in him,
I'll cast twenty of them out...

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: The Doctor
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 06:12 PM

The play in the Carpenter Collection looks to be essentially the same, even though it says 'Chaddlesworth', but there are some noticeable differences. The cast list includes Big Head, but he only has four lines, right at the end:
Here come I, hadna been hit,
With my big head and little wit,
My head so big, my wits so small,
But I've brought my music to please you all.

The song follows, and it may be a different song, as the words are:
We don't come here but once a year and I hope it's no offence.
For if it is pray tell us so and soon we will go hence.
Ch:
To me hay dum dum x3 to me derry.
For we have come this Christmas Day on purpose to be merry.

Green shoes, yellow laces, pretty maids a-dancing,
For we are in a sorrowful state for want of a little wine.

Wine, wine, for the want of a little wine.
For we are in a sorrowful state for the want of a drop of wine.

The script has 'October 1972' typed at the top, but I have no other date at present.

Subject: RE: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: IanC
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 11:03 AM

It's in the Carpenter Collection. Summary here.

Do you have an approximate date for your script?

:-)

Subject: Folklore: Chaddleworth Mummers' Play
From: The Doctor
Date: 03 Sep 13 - 06:28 AM

I have just been given a script for the Chaddleworth Mummers' Play, together with the words for the song, and an old cast photo. The play is very similar to other mummers' plays I've seen, with King George, Queen Mary and Bold Slasher, but it has two doctors, and two fleeting characters, Happy Jack, who collects the money, and Big Head, who introduces the song. The presence of Queen Mary may indicate a time in the reign of George V, or may just be coincidence. The photo looks as if it could be earlier, but being in costume it's difficult to date it. Chaddleworth is a village in Berkshire, not far from Newbury.
If anyone has come across this before, or has any thoughts/ideas/suggestions I'd be pleased to hear from them.