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Midgley Pace Eggers 2010

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En route to Lancaster on Good Friday, I took a detour to see the Midgley Pace Eggers perform. And I mean in Midgley village. Arriving at the somewhat cold and windswept bus terminus overlooking the Calder Valley, hot drinks and hot cross buns were available from the bus shelter while we waited for the boys (and girls) from Calder High to arrive in their futuristic mini-bus.

The Introduction.
The Introduction.

Quite a crowd had assembled when, preceeded by the Fool, the Pace Eggers came on in their trademark helmets and rosette-covered tunics. However, the helmets did not remain in place for long. In recent years, they have taken to removing them soon after the start of the play and placing them on the ground around the performing area.

The Midgley Pace Eggers troop on.
The Midgley Pace Eggers troop on.

Just prior to this visit, I had seen the film of the Pace Eggers in the Yorkshire Film Archive Online made in 1960/61, so it was interesting to compare the two performances. Apart from the business with the helmets, the acting was much more thespian, and aimed more at modern tastes, with foreign accents and numerous ad libs.

Hector (left) fights Saint George
Hector (left) fights Saint George

There were some creative fighting scenes too, with 'slow motion', martial arts, and even ‘light sabres' inspired by Star Wars. Some may not like these changes, but frankly it's the Pace Eggers' tradition and they can do what they like with it.

Saint George (played by Dario Coates) dominated the action, and pretty much had the audience eating out of the palm of his hand, but everyone played their parts well.

The final song
The final song

I had hoped to meet Billy Painter, who normally plays the Fool, however he had had to withdraw at the last minute due to work commitments. Billy has done a lot to promote the Midgley Pace Eggers in recent years, and has been my main contact. I can assure him that his cast did him proud.

The final song
The finale

Despite the cold weather the Pace Eggers cleary enjoyed what they were doing (even Tosspot, who, as anyone who was there would testify, had more reason to feel cold than most). Consequently, the audience very much enjoyed the performance too, me included. I am sure that this was reflected in the collection, made in aid of the Overgate Hospice.

Peter Millington

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Readers' Comments

Sam Harris - 15-Apr-2010

Another year, another Good Friday and another fantastic Pace Egg Play. I'd like to take this opportunity to say some heartfelt thank you's to all who helped make this day a huge success once again.
First of all, a huge well done and thank you to the cast themselves for entertaining the Calder Valley throughout the day; it takes a certain type of person who'll step up and perform like that 'on the street', to such an expectant crowd, keeping them enthralled, yet sticking to this most traditional of scripts. Firstly, a hearty thanks to Mr. Stephen Ball and Mrs. Jill Leicester for their continuing support during the rehearsal and preparation process. I'd also like to thank all the guest doctors who were unwillingly dragged from the crowd to participate in our Easter shenanigans, they really added to the humour of the performance and we appreciate their spontaneous drama skills. To Linda Helliwell we owe a huge thank you, without her we would just be a group of oddly dressed thespians standing on a Mytholmroyd pavement. Thanks to her we had a minibus to drive us round on our haphazard tour. A thank you must go out to Robert Holme KBE for his help with prop management and vocal coaching. Sol Cotton and Fran Robinson were both at hand with their cameras on the day, and because of that many pictures and videos are available for us as a cast to look back on as well as the general public too. Throughout Good Friday, we were accompanied and mothered by one Mrs. Ruth Roebuck. Her kindly, compassionate attitude meant she could cope with the Pace Egg rabble and help us through the day, a massive thank you to you, Mrs. Roebuck. Leading up to the day, we were exposed throughout many local and national media affiliations; without them our audience numbers wouldn't be half as big. Finally, the biggest thank you of all goes to all who turned out to watch us make traditional fools of ourselves once again. See you next year!
This year we raised a total of £575; this will be split between two local charities; Overgate Hospice and the Great Generation Project.
For more Pace Egg information and photos of the day visit
http://www.painterschronicle.co.uk/

Sam Harris

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