P.T.Millington Collection (1972, G.E.Walker)
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Transcription
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KIMBERLEY - PLOUGH MONDAY NIGHT PLAY
Written down by Garnet E. Walker of Flat No. 24, CloverLands Community
Centre, Watnall, Notts., on the 17/1/1972, for Peter T. Millington.
NO 1 ACTOR I'll open the door I'll enter in,
I'll do my duty while I'm in.
Whether I sit, stand, rise or fall,
I will do my duty to please you all.
If you cannot believe these words I say,
Step in King George and clear thy way.
NO 2 ACTOR In comes King George, Kingi George is my name,
I've fought in many battles.
My head is made of iron, my body is made of steel,
My hands and feet are made of knuckle bone,
How canst thou make me feel.
(Here the first two actors battle with wooden swords, and the first actor
falls wounded.)
NO 3 ACTOR King George, KinG Georgw what has thou done,
Thou's killed and slain my only son.
My only son, my only heir, how canst thou see him bleeding there,
Fetch the five pound doctor.
NO 4 ACIOR In comes Doctor Brown, the finest doctor in the town.
(NO 3 ACTOR) What cas't thee to be doctor?
(NO 4 ACTOR) By my travels.
(NO 3 ACTOR) What is thy travels?
NO 4 ACTOR Out of England into Francem Out of France into Spain,
Over the hills and back again.
(NO 3 ACTOR) What canst thou cure?
NO 4 ACTOR Hipsy, pipsy, palsy.
(NO 3 ACTOR) Cure that man.
NO 4 ACTOR Here Jack take a sup of my nip,
And let it run down thy tip tap,
And rise and fight for life.
NO 5 ACTOR In comes Beelzebub,
On my head I carry a tub,
In my hand a dripping pan,
Don't you think I'm a jolly fine man?
If you don't I do.
If you people had got a bit of sense,
You would put your hand in your pocket and give me a few pence.
Good luck and thank you all.
(We usually end with a little sitty. Here it is.)
As Tommy was walking one fine summers day,
Some rosey cheeked apples he saw on his way,
Saw on his waY,
Some rosey cheeked apples he saw on his way.
Crack goes the whip, I whistle and I sing.
I sit upon my waggon as happy as a king.
Hurrah for the United Klngdomn.
(This is what Beelzebub sang at the end of his act.)
BEELZEBUB My father dled a month ago and left me all his stitches,
A wooden leg a feather bed and a pair of leather breeches,
A bacca box without a lid, a kettle without a handle,
A teapot without a spout and a half farthing candle.
LETTER WITH THE TEXT:-
To Mr. Millington,,
I was pleased to sea your interesting aaticle re Guysers in the E & Kim
Advertiser. I thought we had all been forgotten. I was a menber of a team
of 5 actors which used to perform every PLOUGH MONDAY NIGHT which was always
the 2nd Monday in January. I waa a member of a team 5 actors. The team was
formed in Hardy Street, Kimberley, and we performed every year from 1900 to
1906. We got a good reception every house we visited because every boy
knew his part well.
Printed here is five ACTS as performed by the team.
I may add it was amusing to see the young children pulled on thelr
mothers' and fathers' knees to listen to the play, some with their finegrs in
their mouths up to the knuckles. ALAS there is only two of the above Actors
left now, namely my brother Harry who Lives at 23, Abbot Street, AWSWORTH,
NOTTS. He still recites the five acts at parties, all being well, he will do
his next recitation on his birthday FEB 8th at the GARDENERS INN, AWSWORTH,
NOTTS. (82)
I used to act No 1. I can also relate the five Acts if you want them
tape recording. In concluding I hope I have been of help to you.
G.W.
(Dated 17/1/1972)
NOTE ON THE TRANSCRIPTION:- In the manuscript, there was no differentiation
between the characters involved in the dialogue with the Doctor. This
section has therefore been split up where it seemed appropriate, and the name of
interogator given in parentheses. |
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