If you attended the Dolphin 14 Jan you had the dubious pleasure of seeing me dance in a grass skirt whilst petite Lyn Evans dressed as an American Sailor sang,' One Hundred and One Pounds of Fun, that's my little Honey Bun' (that's me folks).
After the show I was distressed to be told I was the least feminine cross dresser ever. Contrast Gerwyn, who lead the Jive troupe as the Dancing Queen, dressed in a transparent black dress and made up to kill, false eye lashes and all. He was so ambiguous that he made me wonder if he really was a lady-boy from Thailand. Well it was South Pacific.
That's only the second time in my life that I have tread the boards, and both times I have been a prancing dumb mute. Fifty years ago or so a pretty young girl decided to perform the dance of the seven veils surrounded by the whole 1st fifteen pack virtually naked as Red Indians waving axes. Now that really was worth the ride.I would not like to distract from many other fine performances. For instance take that cat Marilyn prancing evocatively around in a skimpy dress and a big red scarf miming Big Spender as though the Credit Crunch had never happened. Or Rosemary dressed as Santa Claus and behaving like a Court Jester, something she would never dare to do in our French Group. Or Lawmary, our one paid up member of Equity, confidently over acting as one the Ugly Sisters, whilst whilst the other was so much more subtle. Malcolm Broome the leader of our Singing for Pleasure Group took a solo, a cut above the rest of us in his suit and white bow tie.
I am almost forgetting the elegant impersonation of the Prince, in jack boots, trying to outdo our Gerwyn in the opposite direction, if you see what I mean.They should get together, they would make a lovely couple!
I simply couldn't believe the sudden change from Mrs. Mop to attractive Cinderella, it's amazing what a few pins can do! Then there was Lynn a Yankee from the American Civil War complete with flag and long white hair tied back like some later-day preacher, or a hippy, trying to flag the play together. Not to forget Roly with the music. Did he deliberately fail to switch off the music so the jive ended with actors and audience drawn in until the stage was positively writhing with ancient bodies?
The trouble with tackling such a theme in my blog is that I have forgotten so many other fine performers who all contributed to a joyous afternoon. Gersom, for instance who sportingly made up the numbers in the jive group at the very last second without the opportunity to rehearse a single step.
Thanks above all to Jill Govier, leader of the Creative Writing Groups responsible for the gags, and our talented iron-fisted producer. It's difficult to over state our thanks for the effort she had put into the production. I am sure she feels it was worth while.
Oh and there was a fine cream tea produced by the Dolphin, so there was something substantial for the £5 ticket as well as humorous relief from the winter blues.
Thanks too to Mary Roberts and Marilyn Croft for the photos.
U3A SUMMER SCHOOLS
I have just learned that although I recently published details I did tell how to make enquiries. You have to approach the U3A National Office in Bromley (The Third Age Trust) by either phone or you can download full details of courses including
Application Forms by Internet.
PHONE 020 8466 6139. If you do so on Tuesday or Thursday ask for Philipa who is the administrator of the Summer School.
INTERNET click on
http:// www.u3a.org.uk
Sign in
Click 'Events' on right hand list
Click 'Summer Schools to get summary page
Click link at bottom of page to either 'Harper Adams' or Royal Agricultural College' to get full syllabus and the opportunity to click on links providing download of Application Forms or Full Details of the syllabus.
.......
( If you haven't done so already you will need to 'Register' with the u3a web site before being able to Sign In. Registering is simply a case of giving them a 'User Name' and a 'Password' and then activating your account by clicking on the link they give in their return email. Signing in opens up the full facilities of the u3a web site. If you want to download the forms you will need to install on your computer the Adobe Reader program for reading documents, this essential program is available via a free download. Simply Google for Adobe Reader, select a site offering downloads and clink and then follow the instructions for a free download.)
POSTING 1 JAN 2009
I realized when preparing this posting that the 1 Jan 09 posting was missing, having been taken off-line for editing and not restored. There were significant additions after the initial posting which are now visible.
CHESS
This group runs at Hazel Court on the 1st and 3rd Monday mornings of the month, it is meeting this Monday 19 January at 10.00am. The regulars cover the entire spectrum from absolute beginners, through people like Joan and I who last played at school to our coach who coaches schools and plays competitively.
We need more members to provide variation. I must say that Joan and I have found it a surprisingly pleasant way to keep the brain active, perhaps it is thanks to the U3A attitude to challenges. It is a board game where the sole chance assist is to win the right to first move, but every game soon takes a different path which ensures continuing interest.
LEARN ITALIAN
This course operates at Hazel Court at 10.00am EVERY MONDAY (including 19 Jan), hence sharing the room charges with Chess and the new Reading Group 4. As with Chess, French, Caligraphy and Jive these new groups are very lucky to have experienced leaders, who are prepared to work for free. Carolina taught adult (DACE) classes at Swansea University for years and makes the her lessons interesting as well as instructive.
Nick Hill, our Treasurer, joined last week and he advises me to also publicise the BBC language practice sites. They offer help with French, German, Spanish and Italian. I know several people who follow the Spanish program in addition to going to Night School. For Italian he likes the feel of their offering called Italian Steps
http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/italian
Again we would like more members. When we find good leaders they deserve support. Without it the Swansea U3A will ossify, the tutors and I will be discouraged.
INTERNET
The hoped for facility for accessing the Internet in the Craft Room at Hazel Court has not so far materialised. However I am inviting to my home at short notice people who expressed an interest but, when signing the form, had no Internet access at their own home. The idea is to show how powerful and simple it is to get really significant benefits from this new technology with the objective of helping them to decide whether to buy a computer and get broadband service.
Obviously this exploratory meeting is not for readers of this blog, but if you know another member who would be interested get them to phone me on 424702. The first meeting, and perhaps the only one of its type, will be at my home in Mayals 2pm this Monday 19 January, where I have Wireless Internet.
CALIGRAPHY
The four week beginners class starts at 10.00am on Tuesday 20 January at Hazel Court. The four week Improvers class starts at 1.30pm on Thursday 22 January. Both classes run for just four successive weeks.
I am very pleased to say both classes are fully subscribed. They will be expertly led by Maureen Thomas who did the much praised Caligraphy on display in Dylan Thomas's house.
LITERATURE
On Tuesday 20 January at 2.00pm this group meets for the first time this year in St Mary's Church Priory, at which Lawmary will complete a reading of 'The Inspector Calls by J B Priestly. I shall be attending as part of my intention to visit groups to better understand how they operate and how they could be supported. If interested come along and help shape this years program.
JIVE
This group meets weekly on Wednesdays at 10am upstairs in the Monkey Cafe. Many have a simple lunch there before proceeding to the University for the afternoon lecture. Come along and try.
TAI CHI, Wednesday Lecture and Climate Change
Mike Hart will talk briefly about his proposals for this class at 2.15pm in the university's Grove theatre before the Wednesday lecture which is The Pubs of Mumbles by Brian Davies. After the lecture the Climate Change group will be meeting to discuss Energy The Way Forward - see also the article by Mike Wiseman in your U3A magazine Sources.
FRENCH CONVERSATION
This group meets every Thursday at 10am in Hazel Court. If interested phone Jan Phillips on 411476.
TASTE OF - CELTIC FRINGE
The first of Lyn Holt's 'Taste-Of' evening meals is at 6.30pm on Friday 23 January. Entry is by ticket only and all have been sold for this month's event. If you want a ticket for next month to sample his cooking and enjoy a social evening then phone Angela Holt on 403238.
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