Lyr Req: Take a Pew

Subject: Take a Pew
From: Son of the Mill
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 06:53 AM

Hi there! I`m still trying to get the words to an Alan Bennett monologue. I now know that the title is Take a Pew.It comes from the 60s english comedy show "Beyond the Fringe." Someone must know this monologue.Please.

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take a Pew
From: Son of the Mill
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 12:10 AM

ref

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take a Pew
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 12:18 AM

I don't suppose you want to buy the whole set for $50.00 US?

Subject: Lyr Add: TAKE A PEW (Alan Bennett)
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 02:39 AM

Take a pew
(Alan Bennett, 1961)
First verse of the fourteenth chapter of the second book of Kings:
"And he said: 'but my brother Esau is an hairy man; but I am a smooth man'. And he said: 'but my brother Esau is an hairy man; but I am a smooth man.' "
Perhaps I might say the same thing in a different way by quoting you those words of that grand old English poet W.E.Henley, :who said:
"When that one great Scorer comes to mark against your name
It matters not who won, or lost, but how you played the game"

But how you played the game.
Words very meaningful and significant for us gathered here, together, tonight. Words, we might do very much worse than consider. And I use this word 'consider' advisedly. For I am using it, you see, in its original Greek sense of CON-SIDER, of putting oneself in the way of thinking about something. And I want us here together, tonight, to put ourselves in the way of thinking about... to put ourselves in the way of thinking about... erm, what we ought to be putting ourselves in the way of thinking about.
As I was on my way here tonight, I arrived at the station and by an oversight I happened to go out by the way one is supposed to come in, and as I was going out, an employee of the railway company hailed me:
"Hey, Jack," he shouted, "where do you think you're going?"
That at any rate was the gist of what he said.
And you know, I was grateful to him. Because, you see, he put me in mind of the kind of question that I ought to be asking you here tonight.
"Where do you think you're going?"
Very many years ago, when I was about as young as some of you are now, I went mountain climbing in Scotland with a friend of mine, and there was this mountain, you see, and we decided to climb it. And so, very early one morning, we arose and began to climb. All day we climbed, up and up and up , higher and higher and higher, until as the valley lay very small below us, we got to the part of the evening when the sun goes down and the stars come out. When we reached the summit we sat down to watch this magnificent sight of the sun going down and the stars coming out. And as we watched, my friend, very suddenly, and violently, vomited.
Some of us think that life's a bit like that don't we?
But it isn't. Life, you know, is rather like opening a tin of sardines. We are always looking for the key. And I wonder, how may of you here, tonight, have wasted years of your lives looking behind the kitchen dressers of this life for that key? I know I have. Others think they've found that key, don't they? They roll back the lid of the sardine tin of life, to reveal the sardines, the riches of life, within and they get them out to enjoy them. But, you know, there's always a little bit, in the corner, that you can't get out.
I wonder, is there a little bit in the corner of your life? I know there is in mine
So now, as I draw to a close, I want you , when you go out into the world, in times of trouble, sorrow and hopelessness and despair, those many heavy burdens of life, when we are tempted to say: "Stuff this for a lark", I want you at such times to cast your minds back to the words of my first text: "But my brother Esau is an hairy man; but I am a smooth man."

Transcribed by Roger the Skiffler from the original LP at enormous expense of time, blood, toil, tears and sweat, saving you about six quid, so I reckon you ought to send Max a fiver for the Mudcat.
RtS
#:o)}

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take a Pew
From: LR Mole
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 12:02 PM

What a great idea your last sentence is!

Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Take a Pew
From: Greyeyes
Date: 26 Mar 01 - 01:42 PM

Particularly as he/she now has 2 versions of the same sketch transcribed by hand by generous members.