P.T.Millington (1972c)
Main Variant |
Transcription
|
Let's revive
The Guysers!
For as long as anyone can
remember, Guysers have done
their Christmas rounds in the
villages around Eastwood, but
like many old customs the Guy-
sers are dying out and the words
of the play are becoming lost to
the younger generation. In pre-
paration for Christmas, we give
here a short version of the Guy-
sers taken from several sets of
words sent in by readers last
year (mostly from Underwood
and Brinsley). It is hoped that
children will use these words to
keep ,the custom going, and so
continue to provide a bit of home-
made entertainment at Christmas
time.
THE GUYSERS
Costumes and Characters
Opener In: As smartly dressed
as possible in a suit. Blackened
face.
St. George: Dressed as a
soldier or in some other uniform
and carrying a wooden sword or
stick. Blackened face.
Slasher: Dressed as a soldier
and carrying a wooden sword or
stick. Blackened face.
Doctor: Dressed in comic
clothes (e.g. baggy trousers,
jacket two sizes too small, etc.)
and carrying a doctor's bag and
a bottle of water. Nose made up
red with lipstick. Rest of face
may be black, red or white.
Bellzebub: bressed in ragged
clothes and carrying an old frying
pan and a big stick or rolling pin.
Blackened face.
Devil Doubt: A small boy carrying
a broom. Face blackened.
The Words
Opener In: .
I open the door, I enter In.
I beg your pardon to begin.
Whether I stand, sit or fall,
I'll do my duty to please you
all.
Room, room brave gallants.
Give us room to sport,
For in this room we wish to
resort
And repeat to you our merry
rhyme.
For remember good Sirs, it's
Christmas time.
If you can't believe these words
I say,
Step in St. George and clear
the way.
St. George:
I am St. George of England
bold.
I won ten thousand pounds in
gold.
I followed a fair maiden to a
giant's gate,
Confined in dungeons deep to
meet her fate,
When a giant almost struck me
dead,
But by my valour, I cut off his
head.
I've searched this world all
round,
But a man my equal I've
never found.
Slasher:
I am a gallant soldier.
Slasher is my name, .
With sword and buckler by my
side
I hope to win the game.
A fight with thee St. George
I say if thou art able,
For if I draw my glittering
sword,
I soon will thee disable.
My body's of brass, my arm's
of steel,
No man on earth can make me
feel.
St. George:
Stand back! Stand back!: Thou
dirty dog!
I'll make your buttons fly.
I'll cut thy belly clean in two,
And thou shalt surely. die.
(They fight and Slasher falls)
Opener In:
A doctor! A doctor!
Ten pounds for a doctor!
Doctor:
I am a doctor.
Opener In:
What canst theu cure?
Doctor:
The itch, the stitch, the palsey
and gout.
If there's 19 devils in a man,
I can cast 20 out.
Opener In:
Where hast thou travelled?
Doctor:
Italy. Sicily, France and Spain.
Over the seas and home again.
Opener In:
Cure me this man.
Doctor (kneeling) :
Here Jack. take a sip eut of
this bottle
And let it run down thy
throttle.
And if thou feelest not quite
slain,
Arise Jak and fight again.
(Slasher rises)
Bellzebub:
In come old Bellzebub.
Over my shoulder I carry a
club,
In my hand a dripping pan.
[-- column break --]
Don't you think I'm a jolly old
man?
If you don't, I do.
Devil Doubt:
I am little Devil Doubt,
With my breeches inside out.
Money I want, and money
crave.
If you don't give me money,
I'll sweep you to the grave.
(End with a Christmas carol)
The version above is short
ccmpared to the plays that have
been performed by some teams
of Guysers, and it is hoped that
next year we will be able to print
a booklet on the Guysers giving
both long and short versions. We
would still like to receive more
accounts of people's Guysering
experiences, no matter how brief,
so that we can have a full pic-
ture of the past history of the
Guysers. We would particularly
like to be able to copy any photo-
graphs of Guysers that anyone
has or can take. Please send
any informatien on the Guysers
to the "Advertiser" Office, or to:
Peter T. Millinoton, 85 Woodland
Lane, Leeds. LS7 4QG |
|
