18th January 2012

LYME REGIS: Hundreds fill streets for Lyme's first mummers play since 1930s

THE streets of Lyme Regis were packed for the first traditional mummers play seen in the town since the 1930s.

The seasonal folk play, named “Mummers the Word!”, was written by local resident Harry Ford, and included folk songs, grotesque masks, flaming torches and even a real-life horse.

The traditional entertainment started on Saturday afternoon with Lyme Regis Museum’s annual wassailing celebrations, led by Uplyme Morris Men.

Closed-off Church Street was filled with spectators, who joined in the wassailing song and toasted to a good crop of apples for the coming year with mulled cider.

The mummers play then started, with characters appearing from the Guildhall. After an opening song and another dance from the morris men, the crowd followed the moving production around the town - first visiting Theatre Square, where the story’s hero Sir George arrived on a horse to romance the princess, who leaned out from the Guildhall window.

The production then moved on to George’s Square, where Sir George slayed the evil Woodworser, and then on to St Michael’s Church to save Lyme from ruin.

The audience got into the spirit, cheering and jeering at the masked characters, and enjoyed apple cake and mulled ale at the end of the performance.

The cast was as follows:

Bet Rantipole - Dennis Spacey; Sir George -Danny Anholt; Sabra - played by Georgia Robson; the Woodworser -Justin Tunstall; the Woodworser's breakfast - Leon Howe; Sir Apricock- Scott Robson; Archangel Michael - Harry Ford; Latterlammas - Glenn Ford, the drummer - Angela Taylor.

PICTURE 1: FAIRYTALE ROMANCE - The princess, played by Georgia Robson, leans from the Guildhall window to greet Sir George