Well that was an eventful weekend. As you know from my ‘Haemorrhoid City’ post, Spalding Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society were asked to entertain the shoppers on Saturday and Sunday in the town centre. Never mind whether people were expecting a selection of festive carols, they were serenaded with songs from Les Miserables, Chicago, Oklahoma, Calamity Jane and even The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
We turned up at 12.30 ready for our 1pm slot and made our way to the stage area. I say ‘stage’ but in fact it was a very small white trailer, a freezer possibly? Anyway there was no way twenty of us were clambering into that so we moved the mics down onto the pavement. Quite a good location, bang slap in the market square, taking over the spot normally bagsied by the local winos.
Our local radio station, Tulip FM, was running the entertainment for the day from their tent next to us and soon we were plugged in, backing track ready to blast out to the town. Dougie said no matter where you were in town the songs could be heard. He tried to disappear into Homebase but our voices still carried. It wasn’t long before we gathered quite a crowd; some maybe curious as to what the racket was and some genuinely keen musical theatre fans who joined in with the chorus numbers. Oh and we just about avoided corpsing during One Short Day: no haemorrhoids slipped out.
The Sunday session was a more low-key affair and it was bitterly cold. We were singing at 10am so not many people were awake. They soon were. The hour’s set was interrupted by Santa attempting to come down the street on his sleigh. However he decided to wait until we’d finished. He must have known who we were.
For those who were asking, I don’t think any of our songs were captured on video but I can assure you we were all wonderful. The highlights for me were Craig Delaney’s Bring Him Home, which nearly had me blubbing, and Jane Fulford’s gorgeous soprano voice singing I Dreamed a Dream. My solo on the Sunday, Tell me on a Sunday, went well too, I think.
The other notable event on Sunday was a little mention for @mumsgoneto in the Sunday Times travel section. They have a Twitter Question of the Week and last week’s was, “What is your most embarrassing travel moment?” I decided to tweet this reply which they published in the paper:
“Sunbathed topless by pool in Ibiza. Appeared in holiday brochure the year after”.
I remember it well. 1991, when I was a young and perky 27 year old. Dougie and I had swum out to the rock formation in the middle of the pool, oblivious to the photographer snapping away. The next year we picked up the brochure to choose another holiday and there I was, posed like The Little Mermaid in bikini bottoms.
There are some people who just can’t help being the centre of attention…
Still think you were very brave on both counts, singing in the freezing cold and sunbathing topless!! How funny that you were in the mag!! Emma 🙂
Oh no, how mortifying!!
A tale which well deserved its mention n the Sunday Times!
No video? ah shame…..bet you were all fabulous though Darling!
Emma – I wouldn't go topless now so the world is safe from that little treat, but Ibiza in the 90s seemed a good idea at the time!
Sarah – I had a feeling as I tweeted it that it might be picked. Now I'm twice mortified.
Libby – I know, we are hopeless at putting a video camera in someone's hand.
Hope the Ibizan tourist industry gave you a cut of the extra money they made that year.
no video but come on… you must still have THAT photo…it would be just wrong not to share 🙂
Steve – No they didn't. You'd have thought I was worth a couple of pesetas.
Kelloggsville – Terribly sorry but have no idea where the brochure is now. There wasn't much to see, I can assure you 😉
I read that and wondered if it was you! wave to me as I go to Spalding next Thursday
Auntie Gwen – whereabouts will you be? I could always meet you for a coffee, unless the real Auntie Gwen is a butch serial stalker??
If I sang in the street they'd pay me stop. I know this.
Big kudos to those who can and do!
I was just thinking "blimey if I sunbathed topless I'd be burnt to a crisp" but you didn't get the pasty skin genes did you?
Macy – I bet you have other talents you could show off?
Expat Mum – No, always went brown. My skin is punishing me now though!
So disappointed that there will not be a video! Sounds like you did great, and it is only right that Santa waited.
Absolutely love the topless in Ibiza story! Hope you kept the brochure as a memory?
Fantastic story – does Rory know though?!
Funky – I used to have the brochure but lost it years ago…or someone nicked it!
Curry Queen – I'm afraid so. I showed him the paper on Sunday and he asked if I was lying on my front or back by the pool! When I admitted that I was sitting up, facing the camera, he rolled his eyes and shook his head in a despairing way. I embarrass him at every turn.
Hilarious! Pay to get the girls out! Plus the Sunday Times totally needs to get you in as columnist – topless or not!
About last weekend – Ah you're too kind! I'm sure I'd have a better chance keeping the pups covered up!