The Abingdon Traditional Mummers were out last night, performing at most of the pubs in the town centre. I caught up with them as they were just finishing their ten-minute play at the Punch Bowl. Although they were running late, they waited until everyone had finished their drinks before moving on.
As ever, Father Christmas introduced the play and collected donations, which this year go towards the St Ethelwold’s Appeal (see yesterday’s blog). A number of people – something close to groupies – from the Punch Bowl then followed the Mummers on to their next stop, the Tipsy Mercer.
At the Tipsy Mercer a quiz was in progress, but the quizmaster broke off proceedings, and the Mummers were rewarded with a fully attentive audience. This is not always the case, as in some pubs people carry on drinking and talking regardless of the loud interruptions of the play.
The version performed appeared to be the Sunningwell play (from the nearby village), with five characters: Father Christmas, King George, Bold Slasher, the Doctor, and Mrs Finney. After much boasting, King George and Bold Slasher fight, and King George is killed.
The Doctor is calls and tries a series of unlikely remedies. There were plenty of jokes throughout, including several involving the younger members of the audience – some of whom were absent-mindedly squirted with water from the Doctor’s syringe – before the Doctor finally succeeds in bringing King George back to life.
A second sword fight then follows, in which King George kills Bold Slasher. At this point Mrs Finney, donning a headscarf, is called for. Brandishing her flashing umbrella – with a squeaky voice like a character out of the goonshow, she restores Bold Slasher to life.
The performance ended, as tradition demands, with a rendition of We Wish You a Merry Christmas.
