Sunday.

 

Street in nearby town, Bildeston.

Yesterday we both sang at a wedding in the afternoon at 3p.m. which meant I was unable to attend scrabble club. In the evening we met up with friends Brenda and Warren, and Judy and David, in the grounds of Melford Hall, where we had a picnic, followed by an open air performance of Iolanthe. The first part of the picnic was fine, then it started to rain. We braved this for a while, then concluded the meal in the cars. We eventually donned macs, waterproofs and hats, and made our way to Melford Hall, a handsome, 16th century, moated brick building, outside which the G.& S. was held. We, the audience, were alright as we were under a canopy, but we felt sorry for the cast, as the rain continued to tiddle down for the rest of the evening. They were magnificent, carrying on like trojans. It was, I think, the best Iolanthe I have seen, despite the weather. Private Wilson's song had been slightly altered from "For every boy and every gal- that's born into this world alive- is either a little liberal - or else a young conservatIVE" to:- "either a cheating liberal - or else an embezzling conservatIVE", which got an immediate and enthusiastic round of applause, showing, I think, that we have none of us forgotten the expenses scandal, and are not likely to before the next general election. Iolanthe has probably the daftest and most absurd plot of all the G.&S. operas, hinging, as it does, on the relationship between Peers and Peris, and had us all chuckling all the way through. An evening to be remembered fondly. Goodnight all.