Musicals, meteorite, and the Moon
What a week! We kicked off with an early glimpse of emerging bluebells up at Hembury Hill Fort with superb views across to Dartmoor. The sun was bright and warm. Spring was definitely in the air.
Sidmouth Musical Theatre wowed a full house on their opening night with their production of Evita. Among the many highlights was the dance by the generals to Dangerous Games, with their fancy footwork. The cast were highly skilled and professional – and I was comparing the narrator with David Essex, whom I had seen back in the day performing that role. David Finlay was a worthy successor! Grace Hensley was outstanding in the title row – with a performance that ranged from light and bright to deep pathos. The rapid on-stage costume changes were brilliantly carried out. A thousand stars were on the stage as well as in the clear, dark sky when we came out. Overall, the standard of performance was rainbow high.
The following day saw us venture out to the Cotswolds for a nice break in the hot sunshine on our way to Cheltenham. The views, again, were superb, and you could see across the Bristol Channel over to the hills near Abergavenny. And we ticked off two prehistoric burial chambers. One of which, at the end of a picnic area, was easily found and accessible to appreciate the chambered nature of the tomb. Wearing a jumper…it was chilly when we had first set out, I was cautioned to take care by a kind walker. It was, dare I say it, almost too hot!
Thursday was a day of many highs. I was beside myself with excitement at not only seeing the famous Winchcombe meteorite on display in the excellent museum but actually meeting and hearing first hand the discovery by Cathryn Wilcock herself. She is a volunteer at the museum and is happy and proud to share her knowledge and excitement surrounding the meteorite. My son had taken us there via the railway of which he is an active member – avidly pointing out the re-laid track he had helped to lay. He is a certified driver of many large vehicles including the track laying machine. This he does for fun in his spare time.
As if that wasn’t enough excitement, the evening spent at the Everyman Theatre took me back to 1981 and was money well spent on the good seats that we had. Lee Mead took the lead role of Barnum in this magnificent revival of the original musical. It was an exuberant, energetic, explosion of sound and colour during which we gasped at the exploits of the trapeze artistes, gymnasts, dancers, musicians, and help our breath as Lee replicated, successfully, the tightrope walk across the stage first performed by Michael Crawford back in 1981. My abiding memory of the first time I saw it, was the song The Colours of my Life – and I was not disappointed by the current rendition. It is a glorious melody with beautiful, evocative words, sensitively performed by Lee and his co-star Monique Young, starring as his wife Charity. I was transfixed by it all, the standing ovation was richly deserved, and I am not sure how long I would have stayed had I not been prodded by my husband,,,to catch up with my son who was leaving the auditorium…
Friday saw us relaxing and taking a gentle walk around the nearby park with its pretty lake. Then it was off out for some more excitement. This time the excitement of Gifford’s Circus. And what a treat this was! Beautifully presented, the scene was prettily bucolic with fantasy woodland creatures in the orchestra, and pretty lighting. There was fun and laughter from Mole and Rat duo who caused mayhem off and on stage. There was top class singing and dancing, and breathtaking acrobatics, juggling, and trapeze action. The two young ladies performing on the trapeze seemed to have rubber legs as they elegantly performed mind bending acts high in the air. The acrobat troupe are almost beyond description. Members of the troupe actually bounced off the hands of others and seemed to catapult across the arena. They made themselves into pyramids, jumping from one group to another, and with a finale that defied gravity. A two barrelled construction was wheeled into the arena, with a man in each one. As the barrels turned, so they ran, leapt, turned somersaults, before somehow managing to get onto the outside where they continued running, leaping, performing breathtaking tricks, making it look as natural as walking on the ground.
Meeting up with family on the Saturday was a nice way to round off this extravaganza of fun week, although we were all a bit tired. Tewkesbury is a handy place for us to meet as they live in Derbyshire. The day was cold, windy and not at all springlike. I was wrapped up in many layers and scarves. What a contrast to Wednesday!
Devon greeted us with not one, but three hailstorms. Many flowers had come out in the intervening days but before I could take a photograph, down came the hail.
Karen Hedges 