MERRIE ENGLAND AT POLESDEN LACEY (1949)

There comes a time in the lives of each one of us, when the mention of a certain person or a certain place will bring back a flood of memories that stretch down the years as if the incident had only happened yesterday.

For our Society, the words "Polesden Lacey" conjures up the picture of a golden summer day in 1949 when a softly shimmering heat rose about the country lanes of Surrey, and the warm green hillside lay dreaming in the June sunshine. We were going to present "Merrie England" at Polesden Lacey - a place most of us had scarcely ever heard of, or ever visited - and two coaches left Bedfont at one o'clock pm precisely. There could have been no finer setting for this colourful pageant; the smooth green fields were the stage; stately trees in their summer glory the backcloth; the bushes and leafy pathways our protection between scenes. Two large tents were erected as dressing rooms and a hastily improvised square canvas hut was put up with characteristic thoughtfulness by our Producer. It was discreetly hidden among the rhododendrons and trailing bramble bushes, and this necessitated the ladies' boudoir being signposted by arrows, and at dusk it was bathed in the full glory of the setting sun.

When the stage was set, the piano and music stands in readiness for the Orchestra, and we had all changed into costume, we sat around on the grass enjoying the wonderful picnic tea provided by the Bookham Community Association. It was very hot; we had to shade our make-up, and the men in good stout old-English doublets loosened their collars and laid aside their belts. From the gates at the far end people began streaming on to the grounds until it was estimated that at least three thousand spectators had arrived. Some of the more agile ones climbed trees for a better view; children ran to the front of the "orchestra stalls" and sat cross-legged on the grass. Inspired by the heart-warming applause, the beauty of the natural surroundings, and the bright clear air that seemed to carry our voices far away over the tree-tops, the whole company gave of their very best.

As we sang the famous Fish song, we made one long winding 'crocodile' but owing to the varied degree of undulations in the grass, it was almost impossible to pronounce the words properly. Some of us would go down on "jelly" and up on "fish", then down again on "conger" and up on "eel", never really singing the correct words in a breathless haste to catch up with the one in front. And what a surprise it must have been to that vast audience when a huge hairy brown bear strode majestically out from the bushes, accompanied by the villagers of Windsor, or when, in the last Act, those same people emerged from the same undergrowth bearing on high flaming torches.

The sun was setting in a blaze of glory as we sang our final chorus, and a light breeze fluttered the feathered plumes of the picturesque hats. Across the topmost branches the golden rays lit up a thousand colours in our costumes, and as we filled our lungs, we sang with fervour "Long Live Elizabeth" until our voices died away in an echo. A glorious climax to a glorious day.

Twilight was closing in as we packed up the last of the costumes and loaded the scenery onto the van. Slowly, with the tiredness of happy fulfilment, we walked up the long avenue that wound up to the road, there to wait for the coaches to take us home. An hour went by, but no coaches arrived. Two hours. All the cars had gone, red tail lights vanishing one by one in the distance, and still we waited in the darkness. Little groups stood around joking about a long walk home, some silently shivered a little in the chill night air, or walked restlessly up and down. Others sat by the wayside beneath the stars and sang snatches of songs of other shows. Then away on a distant hill we saw headlights approaching and cheered, gathered up our belongings, and cheered again. But the lights passed us by - it was a farm cart; then later a swaying lamp pierced the darkness and a cyclist went by.

It was nearly midnight before our transport arrived. Suddenly we were all awake again as we thankfully climbed into the coaches, and we sang and sang again, all the long journey home, arriving back at Bedfont at one o'clock a.m. precisely.

DORIS SEAMAN

WHAT THE PAPERS SAID

Middlesex Chronicle

The Hatton Choral & Operatic Society had the honour of performing a pageant version of "Merrie England" in the beautiful grounds of Polesden Lacey in Surrey on Saturday. The idea of a performance of Sir Edward German's delightful light opera in such pleasant surroundings seemed to attract nearly every music lover in Surrey to the spot - an audience of over 4000 people were gathered there for the occasion.

A large proportion of the audience were not able to see the players but they were at least able to hear the music and the play, as it was relayed over the grounds. Many, however, were not satisfied with this arrangement, and suitable trees in the vicinity were groaning under the weight of members of the audience who had climbed on to their branches to obtain a better view.

The opera breathed life from the first note of the overture, when the people of Windsor came gaily through the woods to the May Day celebrations, to the last moments when the pageant ended with a procession of soldiers bearing fire brands to escort Queen Elizabeth and the Earl of Essex to the clearing ready for the final tableaux. Indeed one member of the vast audience was so impressed when first seeing the flames in the distance that he gave the fire alarm and rushed into the woods to help control the fire. It was a very embarrassed spectator who quietly returned to his seat in the front row.

The producer, Mr Kenneth Newell, writes: "The Surrey audience took the performers to their hearts, as the wonderful applause proved. Never was there such a well behaved audience - despite the great disappointment to many that the natural slope of the ground was not sufficient to enable them to see the whole of the performance. Not a joke or quip escaped their notice - not a song passed without its just reward. The opportunity given to this Society must be the envy of all other Operatic Societies in the area - when the sponsors overlooked their home county and gave the invitation to a young company such as this. It was a great honour - and a just reward.

Dorking & Leatherhead Advertiser

There could hardly be a finer or better open setting for the production of "Merrie England" than the beautiful grounds of Polesden Lacey which were loaned to the Bookhams Community Association by the National Trust on Saturday. Well over 3000 people were attracted to the performance which was given by the Hatton Choral and Operatic Society. It was a wonderful performance. The soloists were excellent and the chorus work brisk and spirited. The performers and their conductor, Mr R H Curtis, are to be congratulated on giving what proved to be one of the finest presentations of Edward German's "Merrie England" the writer has heard. The Hatton Society had enthusiasm and energy and they sang as if they really enjoyed singing. There was no raggedness in the chorus work and they responded well to the calls of the conductor and were ably supported by a lively, balanced orchestra.

It says much for the play that it can attract, with the aid of the grounds of Polesden, such a large crowd but there was one great fault for which the society and orchestra were not to blame and that was the seating arrangements. Apart from the first two or three rows it was impossible to see anything of the performers unless one stood at the edge of the arena and very few were able to get in that position. As a result, hundreds of people heard the delightful singing and by the aid of microphones heard every word, but they could see nothing except the heads of the performers. It was a great pity for it spoiled what could have been an outstanding evening for many and the hope has been expressed that whenever another ambitious production is put on in such ideal surroundings that care will be taken to see that seating accommodation is arranged in such a manner that all can view the performers. It says much for the singing and the production generally that despite the fact many people could not see, the singing held them and there was none of that restlessness that one might reasonably have expected in such circumstances.

Association's Apologies

The committee of the Bookhams Community Association wish to offer their apologies to all those who were disappointed last Saturday by being unable to see the performance of "Merrie England". We are sorry that the serious miscalculation in the siting of the seats for so large an audience quite spoilt the excellence of the show and the smooth running of the other arrangements. The event had been planned as a non-profit making venture to give pleasure to the general public and to make more widely known the beauties of Polesden Lacey. We are most grateful to those many members of the audience who adjusted themselves to the situation and gave generously of their applause to the performers. We hope that this apology will allay the annoyance that many people must have felt and that they will remember the perfection of the day and the setting and the charm of the music

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