Wonderful Night
Early Closing.
Cove Junior School Drama Club presents A Wonderful Night and Early Closing
Paul Lamont recollects…
“Michael Hobby had a big drum (with school badge painted on) and his own
hand-made (by his mother) guard’s uniform and the teachers made up a play or
two, “A Wonderful Night”, about “Peter and Joan”, in dressing gowns dreaming
that their toys came to life and they all played with the moon, stars, angels
and night creatures. There was also a second play called “Early Closing” set in
a Toy Shop where the proprietor was repainting the cheeks of a Fairy Queen but
had only completed her right one when Miss Gibson said “It’s nearly one o’clock
Mr. Appleby…”. Must have been a Wednesday and he had to close leaving the
fairy’s left cheek unpainted. Of course all the toys came to life and had a
party and fun by painting the fairy queen’s left cheek… cue Mr. Appleby
looking puzzled next morning!
The large version of A Wonderful Night
and Early Closing
photographs have had the cast names added and reference should be made to the
programme for the players. One of each of the “pairs” have names but
unfortunately the “Fireflies”, “Crickets” and “Toy Soldiers” are just a number
and my memory fails to differentiate between them. N.B. Smart teachers
persuading children that they were toys and had to practice being very still and
quiet for most of the time!
Michael Hobby comments…
“I was intrigued to see myself featured in the guardsman’s uniform
at the Cove Junior School play. Good heavens, how long ago was that?! I think it
must have been about 1953 or ’54. A few of the names ring bells with me and I do
remember a play (I don’t know whether it was the same one) in which I was a toy
soldier playing out of tune and a nurse gave me a dose of oil! There must have
been other musicians because my line was (I think) “Thank you nurse, we shall
all play beautifully now”. There was a Mrs. Reeds playing the piano and she
struck up ‘March of the Toy Soldiers’.”
Photographs by kind permission of Paul Lamont.
