Good morning,
I am sitting in the large and spacious living room with a balcony overlooking the sea in lovely Lyme Regis. Its early morning and I am waiting again for sunrise, which was beautiful yesterday. I can hear the ceaseless lapping of the waves which is deeply comforting.
I have come away for a short break with my five school friends, Ros, Anita, Jo, Jude and Ali as we have done almost every year for the past ten.
It is quite a special thing and for some of us its the only time we see each other in the year. There are closer pairings and even sister-in-laws in our group (Ros and Jude) but the common ground is our childhood and school days.
Each year we do this we dip into a rich source of history and identity which enriches and reminds us
who we are. Its wrought with humour too the older we get - and some of those early characteristics have become even more distinct in recent years - but the less said about that the better!
The wonderful thing is that however much we have changed, or our circumstances have altered, the essence of who we are together remains. There is of course always the danger that one might get trapped in a long worn out stereotype too. For example I proudly told my girls about buying a new bike, and they all burst out laughing at the thought of the danger this might pose to other road users! Let it go girls.......
On the note of stereotypes (or are they archetypes?) here I go now too.....
We all have the "one who does....." this or that title, Jude - The organiser extraordinaire Trip Advisor aficionado, booker of apartment, dinner and historical walk. Great cocktail mixer. Jo - The wise pragmatist, great sense of humour, mistress of logic and planning, no nonsense and lets get on with it girls. Anita - The Reflector, quietly embraces the pleasures of ageing with a certain dignity (seriously missing in me!) and lots of funny stories, Ali - The Relaxer, nothing seems to phase her, great mediator and goer with the flow, thoughtful and great listener but never afraid to express a controversial opinion! Ros, The Priestess, deeply soulful and spiritual, picks up the emotional mood and energy and is a lightening conductor for pain and joy! And me - well you might have to ask them but I think it might be The eccentric. I continue to be the class clown and also the vividly dramatic one - it was ever thus. Its all great fun though - six strong women attempting to circumnavigate each other.
Much of our conversation of course is around our children and their lives and loves. Two of them have got married this year so there is a joyful sharing of photos, in albums, on Ipads. The social media question raises its usual head in this transitional generation. Our group is pretty typical, with some of us a bit anorakish about it like me, and others who don't like or want to use it. The great thing is that there is total acceptance of difference, even if a little teasing creeps in at times!
One most poignant moments of the catch up chats was Jude sharing this Youtube clip of her 83 year old dad Brian playing the saxophone and singing Route 66 at her son Guy's marriage to Natalie. See Brian here - hats off to him - what an example to us all.
I also had a special moment here in Lyme today. We went into the local museum and there in a glass cabinet was some of my own professional history - preserved for always.
I was lucky enough when I was a young student to be involved in the first Colway Trust Community Play - The Reckoning here in Lyme Regis. This was the brainchild of British Playwright Ann Jellicoe who was one of the George Levine brat pack of playwrights of the late sixties at the Royal Court Theatre along with John Osbourne, Jo Orton and Harold Pinter to name just a few.
Ann lived with her family here in Lyme Regis and she wanted to make the biggest whole town piece of community theatre which would take it over for a week. My boyfriend Tony and I were dispatched as gofers (sorry - Tony has just read my blog and says he was in fact Production Manager, and it just me that was a gofer!) to help with what was a military operation with Ann as the fearsome General! She was brilliant as a director and writer and utterly terrifying to two 18/19 year olds. But my goodness did I learn a great deal about my art and craft from her back then. It really was a baptism of fire. Indeed I have gone on to use Ann's influences in my own community play work in the intervening years and we are currently planning more for Barking and Dagenham in which we hope to have over 200 participants in 2014.
I love the serendipity of life, when moments collide like this - here am I with school friends having a great time and then also to happen upon one of my early theatre influencers in a glass cabinet in a museum! (Well Ann's not in the cabinet herself you understand!)
Ah life.
The day was topped up with a wonderful meal at the The Mill Cafe and Supper Club http://www.townmillcafe.co.uk/ which I highly recommend for a relaxed evening with family and friends in a homely and welcoming environment and with good wholesome homemade food!
We are off for a coast walk and lunch at the Purple Parsnip I believe before the trek back east.
Have a lovely Sunday y'all.
 |
| Sunrise from our balcony |
I have come away for a short break with my five school friends, Ros, Anita, Jo, Jude and Ali as we have done almost every year for the past ten.
 |
| Ali, Jo, Anita, Jude and I - Ros still to come |
Each year we do this we dip into a rich source of history and identity which enriches and reminds us
who we are. Its wrought with humour too the older we get - and some of those early characteristics have become even more distinct in recent years - but the less said about that the better!
The wonderful thing is that however much we have changed, or our circumstances have altered, the essence of who we are together remains. There is of course always the danger that one might get trapped in a long worn out stereotype too. For example I proudly told my girls about buying a new bike, and they all burst out laughing at the thought of the danger this might pose to other road users! Let it go girls.......
On the note of stereotypes (or are they archetypes?) here I go now too.....We all have the "one who does....." this or that title, Jude - The organiser extraordinaire Trip Advisor aficionado, booker of apartment, dinner and historical walk. Great cocktail mixer. Jo - The wise pragmatist, great sense of humour, mistress of logic and planning, no nonsense and lets get on with it girls. Anita - The Reflector, quietly embraces the pleasures of ageing with a certain dignity (seriously missing in me!) and lots of funny stories, Ali - The Relaxer, nothing seems to phase her, great mediator and goer with the flow, thoughtful and great listener but never afraid to express a controversial opinion! Ros, The Priestess, deeply soulful and spiritual, picks up the emotional mood and energy and is a lightening conductor for pain and joy! And me - well you might have to ask them but I think it might be The eccentric. I continue to be the class clown and also the vividly dramatic one - it was ever thus. Its all great fun though - six strong women attempting to circumnavigate each other.
Much of our conversation of course is around our children and their lives and loves. Two of them have got married this year so there is a joyful sharing of photos, in albums, on Ipads. The social media question raises its usual head in this transitional generation. Our group is pretty typical, with some of us a bit anorakish about it like me, and others who don't like or want to use it. The great thing is that there is total acceptance of difference, even if a little teasing creeps in at times!
One most poignant moments of the catch up chats was Jude sharing this Youtube clip of her 83 year old dad Brian playing the saxophone and singing Route 66 at her son Guy's marriage to Natalie. See Brian here - hats off to him - what an example to us all.
 |
| Lyme Regis Museum |
 |
| Lyme Regis Museum |
I was lucky enough when I was a young student to be involved in the first Colway Trust Community Play - The Reckoning here in Lyme Regis. This was the brainchild of British Playwright Ann Jellicoe who was one of the George Levine brat pack of playwrights of the late sixties at the Royal Court Theatre along with John Osbourne, Jo Orton and Harold Pinter to name just a few.
 |
| Ann Jellicoe |
I love the serendipity of life, when moments collide like this - here am I with school friends having a great time and then also to happen upon one of my early theatre influencers in a glass cabinet in a museum! (Well Ann's not in the cabinet herself you understand!)
Ah life.
The day was topped up with a wonderful meal at the The Mill Cafe and Supper Club http://www.townmillcafe.co.uk/ which I highly recommend for a relaxed evening with family and friends in a homely and welcoming environment and with good wholesome homemade food!
We are off for a coast walk and lunch at the Purple Parsnip I believe before the trek back east.
Have a lovely Sunday y'all.
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