Bexhill Association of National Trust Members

Mr Edward Thomas gave a very light-hearted history of the peculiarly English tradition of pantomime. He traced the seeds of this entertainment to the second century AD in ancient Greece which then developed in Italy in the 15th and 16th centuries as harlequinade as a form of pantomime. 1717 saw the first reference to pantomime in this country and since then has evolved into its present form of free-ranging entertainment loosely based on familiar fairy stories. He kept his audience highly amused with stories of the principal actors through the years and the characters associated with them. He ended his talk by inviting the audience to sing the tongue-twisting song of "All I want is a proper cup of coffee".

The next meeting is tomorrow at the St Peter's Community Centre (2.45pm) when Mr Graham Albon will talk on the Nakasendo Trail in Japan. Visitors are welcome to come along for an entrance fee of 3.

If you are interested in joining our Association then please call the membership secretary Mrs Shirley Denny on 843524 or the general secretary Miss Susan Ainscough on 216162. Subscription for the year is only 3.50.