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‘After the Show’ Poem
Well here we are again, so that must mean
Once more we have played the final scene
Another one over - another one done
And I think we can say - we have all had fun
The tables are loaded with food and drink
And for SOME now, there's time to pause and to think
Of the work that went into it, the hammering and screwing
The sewing, the painting and whatever Mike was doing
At home in his garage - we all asked to a man
WHO's idea WAS it to do aPeter -aPan??
Well. We know who that was - but to give him his due
Once again he dived in- to work with his crew
As builder, electrician, lighting and curtain
Harness rigger and rope man, he had to make certain
So give it up for Des he did everything in the book
Oh yes ! I forgot he was also Captain Hook
His Pirate King song, which he tried hard to rhyme
Gave Roy and the band a fairly hard time
But it was pretty good, so I've phoned Doyle Carte
For a Gilbert and Sullivan, light opera part.
To fly or not to fly, there was never any doubt
Just leave it to me - I'll sort it all out
Put on this harness as quick as you can
Are you calling me a horse was the question from Jan
For she it was who'd be zooming around
On a thin wire rope, several feet off the ground
She'd go off to London - that city so large
But she'd fly - and avoid the congestion charge
As ever Jan played her part with great joy
Superb from a mother who was playing a boy
Tinker Bell was played by the talented Abby
A difficult role for one normally 'gabby'
But she carried if off, with reality quite scary
She could easily have been, a real live fairy
Next in line came the four lost boys -
Now they really knew how to make a noise
You could hear them backstage, in the dressing room and wings
A constant chorus about all sorts of things
But once on the stage -after Muriels tuition
They brought their roles to brilliant fruition
The Darling family, produced three new faces
Katherine and Wendy shone in their places
And gave us a glimpse of Victorian days
While Gil, playing Nana, had peculiar ways
John Cole as ever played HIS part glibly
As he eyes up a role in the Vicar of Dibley
(No,No,No,No,No No No-Yes he is)
One thing bothers me - I must tell you the truth
I'm wondering if Josh has found the fountain of youth
As with Joe he frolicked - A child filled with glee
But only last year - he was two hundred and three.
The infants, as usual, stole the show
With Cerys who did it all on tip toe
In height there's not a lot to measure
But each of them is a little treasure
And Morgan's desire belies his age
Already he won't leave front of stage
(He gets it from his dad)
Each year these young ones will put on a show
But we know that we owe it to Susie and Co.
Suze shows them what SHE wants, and this they deliver
Well, wouldn'tYOU? Pam's voice sure makes me shiver
The young Indian squaws, they were fully entrancing
They filled us with joy with their singing and dancing
Susie again gave these girls all their action
And the WAY they performed was to prove the attraction
From the youngest to the oldest they mixed into the soup
To MY mind as good as a professional troupe
And behind them - The Chorus - Well - What can you say
With four new voices to help carry the day
They belted the songs out and helped raise the roof
Though I don't feel the audience understood Whiffenpoof.
As Pirates and Indians they praised Captain Hook
Built a house for Wendy from the MFI book
But the song that went straight to the audiences hearts
Was The Rhythm of Life sung in three(or four) parts.
Beth and Lisa helped out as their roles permitted
Roles into which they perfectly fitted
Their Indian dances were really a sight
But will Beth ever get those arm movements right
Meurig as Smee set Beth's heart on fire
And any note you can sing - HE can sing higher
(Whether the music calls for it or not)!
Interacting with Smee as only Sue can
This year this fine lady was playing a man
With an accent that varied from Cornwall to East End
Depending on the amount of 'Virginia ' blend
For the future and out of respect for her age
Can we give her a role where she can light up on stage
I can't leave the 'parts' without pausing a while
To give a mention to our crocodile
Inside that skin was Arwel -who's Welsh
Who else could perform such a beautiful belch
This year we had some specialist dancers
Who regaled us all with a version of the Lancers
One I admit that I don't recall
But they all seemed to be having a ball
It was Angie's idea, so who's to complain ?
Unless you don't mind never walking again.
I think that by now I've covered the lot
Apologies to you if a mention you've not got
You know that without you we'd struggle to succeed
You're here because you have fulfilled a need
It's time once again to turn to off stage
Without whose efforts, we couldn't engage
The afternoon and evening crowds that we play to
So in no order of merit, our thanks I say to
Muriel and Marion, Angie and Sally
To Brian and Ian and all those who rally
To Trevor's call for scenery shifting
Whose efforts involve them in so much lifting
To costumes our thanks go to all of the crew
And the ladies of make-up - Yes! Thank you too
(Muriel really fell for us - in a big way this year
But like the Unsinkable Molly Brown -she bobbed up again the next night)
I've reserved a special slot for the music to fit in
It was more unusual for the band to sit in
And play songs that were outside their normal selection
And hope to achieve any kind of perfection
I mean - "Pirates of Penzance and Ode To Joy
"There's nothing to get me teeth into", said Roy
But dedicated musicians they all truly are
And they gave a performance that shone like a star
Though Beth had a moment that made her brow damp
Thanks specifically to Lisa and her bloomin' amp.
(I said you wouldn't get away with it Lisa)
The prompts, without who we would truly be lost
Kept most of us on form with apparently no cost
Though at times I am sure they could burst from their confines
As once again Des fed us all with his own lines
To the front of house crew and the tea from Paul
From the bottom of our hearts we thank you all
To the 'widows' of both sexes, we all leave alone
When we come here to play, leaving them on their own
To please themselves, very much, what they do
Without interference from me or from you.
(It's a hard life)
So there we go folks one more fine Production
From the Aberdyfi Players - now let's have a ruction
Let your hair down 'cos the hard work is done
It's YOUR time - so party and let's all get it on
Nothing's too difficult for people like us
Impossibility for example will never strike us
So when Angie says "People -decorate your shoes "
I ask you chorus - do we get the blues
The order might cause one or two of us to fluster
But Lynn worked wonders with her feather duster
Next year it's back to panto real nice
NO Des! Not Jack and the Beanstalk - on ice!
We're poor little Players who have given our all
Baa, Baa, Baa
We whiffed and we poofed as we answered the call
Baa, Baa, Baa
Seven sweet voices raising the roof
Harmonizing -you saw the proof
But what in God's name is a Whiffenpoof
Baa, Baa, Baa.
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