Phil Thompson (choir president) has long harboured an intense desire to present Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir to the guests of the hotel he has patronised for many years, the Langstone Cliff Hotel, Dawlish Warren, Devon.
Nestling between the Exe and Teign Estuaries, this is a hugely popular holiday destination of great attraction to many. The runes having been read, the portents favourable, a diary window of opportunity available, arrangements completed to the usual impeccable standards of Phil Lloyd, and a Top Gun pilot in John Hillier to get the precious cargo to its destination, and the deed was done.
Arriving Friday, October 12, around 3.30 pm there was time to settle in, get the bearings, develop a little convivial atmosphere before an early dinner, then gird the loins for the performance. The local Round Table had done a fantastic job promoting the event, with the Washington Suite and adjoining bars (all donated for the occasion by the hotel owners) full to absolute capacity with a charged and expectant audience. The choir were truly taken aback at how far their reputation had carried, but were professional enough to bear the load with modesty and still give of their best!
The conductor's satisfaction and approval, always the yardstick to performance, is the most important to the choristers and this was happily forthcoming on the night.
The programme by the choir and soloists, targeted to suit the audience and the occasion, elicited a wonderfully enthusiastic response from the audience, quite overwhelming to all those concerned. As always, the ladies of the choir did beautiful things in their turn, Joan Lewis with 'I Dreamed a Dream' an example. The ladies do indeed present the balance and symmetry so essential to an all-round pleasurable, entertaining evening.
Choir presenter, Phil Lloyd, can be relied upon to amuse and entertain in his own right and this he did with his customary aplomb, having the audience in stitches with many a droll observation and one wickedly funny joke. Professional TV presenters could take lessons from him and that is a fact! Talents within the choir are not confined to singing and presentation, however. Cabaret has been added as another string to their bow. Older readers may remember bygone producer actors of the theatrical world, the likes of Laurence Olivier and the brilliant Ivor Novello. Well, P&DMVC has something similar in actor, writer, singer, producer, Frank Harries (choir chairman)! Frank had been secretly rehearsing two cabaret acts (more of the latter later), for the occasion and they pretty well brought the house down! Rod Jones, Glyn Smith, Henry Johnston, Ian Watts, George Lewis, Frank himself, Dean Maiden and Kim Edwards performed a sketch of such hilarity as to bring the audience to near helplessness. The standing ovation was a well deserved one.
We are reliably informed that the hotel guests and good people of Dawlish have never seen anything quite like it before. Well done the lads!
The ladies, Chris, Allyson, Joan and Jenny added further to the evening's pleasure when, after singing a lovely version of 'Can't Help Loving that Man of Mine' from Showboat, turned it into a parody by featuring the choir as the object of their affections, words by our doyen of conductors. An independent observer reported seeing a mote or two in the eyes of the choristers. That was not the end of the ladies' contribution, though. They followed this up with an acutely observed satire (words by Julie Andrews) on the effects of aging to the tune of 'My Favourite Things'. This item is a clever piece and struck a sympathetic humorous chord with every listener. They are special ladies all, and P&DMVC are very fortunate to have them in charge. Lest we forget, the choir were still performing periodically in addition to all the foregoing, with 'Get Me To The Church on Time' ending a run of popular pieces, but suddenly, following the last item, there approached the stage the diminutive figure of Des Edwards in full dress wedding suit. This was, patently, a bridegroom anticipating the arrival of his bride?
Now most people in the Pembroke area will know of 'Killer Kilcoyne' lately of HM Constabulary. No local, however inebriated he might be, would be prepared to believe that 'Killer' could be transformed into the ravishing vision of beauty and desire that presented itself to ours, and the groom's, incredulous gaze. The stately arrival with bridesmaids Holly and Jess attending the full train, the sumptuous gown, the perfect make-up, the poise and bearing of a queen, those oh so feminine gestures, the perfectly co- ordinated accessories. Bridal perfection indeed! The gown, originally made for a somewhat substantial feminine figure approaching size 28 was (dare we say it?) quite a snug fit! The bridegroom seemed by turns, entranced, transfixed, and more than a little apprehensive at the prospect of the impending nuptials: 'Like a rabbit in the headlights', is an idiom that springs to mind! It has to be said at this point, that the art of cross dressing is a difficult one to accomplish successfully. Both sexes can feel a little uncomfortable with some of the manifestations that see the light of day. Minor things can jar the psyche of a sensitive soul, little gestures grate, exasperate or irritate, accoutrements and jewellery un-co- ordinated, the hem of a slip showing.
No criticisms could dare be offered against the vision presented here, though, the art brought to a sublime triumphant, consummate conclusion, and it must be said forcefully and without equivocation, the bride looked absolutely, dazzlingly gorgeous! The whole room took an inward gasp, O most fortunate of bridegrooms to be! Casting a lascivious eye on the transfixed, palpitating, terrified object of 'her' desire, Killer wasted no time in claiming the prize and, tucking Dessie firmly under the arm, made off into the night! Needs must in a family paper like the Observer, and a modest veil has to be drawn over subsequent events.
The bride did re-appear later to loud acclaim to extract another £200 at the door from a generous audience to add to the charity total following the conclusion of the concert. Dress by The Bridal Shop, Meyrick Street, and suit courtesy of Mr. Roberts, of Law Street. Thank you very much both. The proceedings eventually returned to some sanity and order when P&DMVC artist in residence, George Lewis, produced framed prints of Pembroke Castle for presentation to the hotel owner, Geoff Rogers, and the local president of the Rotary Club as mementos of the occasion. Before these formalities, however, there was one more surprise to savour of a memorable evening. The wives, girlfriends and partners of choristers took to the stage themselves to offer the choir their own tribute. The All New P&D Ladies Choir, with a one-night only performance, paid their choir the ultimate compliment by singing to them, and for them, 'Thank You For The Music'.
The choir's reason for existence is the raising of money for charitable causes. They seek no particular praise from anyone for this, but this spontaneous thank you from their partners was very special to them and will be remembered above all others. The whole evening was an occasion to burn itself into the memory of everyone present and the event might very well transmogrify one day into one of those West Country legends we hear about?
P&DMVC At the Mint, Exeter
Saturday, October 13, was a rest day for the choir during their stay in Dawlish Warren, Devon. Choristers and their wives took the opportunity to relax and look round the location of the hotel. Our driver, co-operative as always, took a party to Exeter for a look at the shops, cathedral, and other sites of interest. Others walked the coast path to Dawlish, famous for the black swans residing in the river running through the town.
Voices were rested, stars of stage and screen were allowed to recover their equilibrium, a calmer, less excited atmosphere prevailed. We believe the previous evening had been video'd for showing at a later date. The participants of the impromptu cabaret might find this a cringingly embarrassing and deflationary experience later, but they can take great comfort from the fact that they were lauded as heroes and tyros at the time! A later dinner had been planned for the Saturday with cabaret to follow, this time not performed by P&DMVC! A 'Hot Chocolate' tribute band had been booked to perform for guests of the hotel after dinner. A certain level of resilience was needed from the audience present as the room had quite a low ceiling and the noise levels were not in everyone's ability to withstand them. On Sunday, the choir were to sing some combined pieces with an Exeter choir from The Mint Church and this, of course, required a short afternoon rehearsal following Sunday lunch. The Mint is a church built in a very modern style, but with excellent acoustics and beautifully looked after. Catherine Warren, local conductor, had done some of her musical training in Wales and in harness with Christine Lloyd soon knocked both choirs into shape for the combined items. The choir returned by coach to the hotel for high tea before preparing for the concert at 8 pm. Exeter Choir did not carry soloists on the night, but Henry Johnson and David Thomas showed what they were missing with two powerful, very well received performances, two pieces from each of them. The smaller Exeter Choir sang their programme with skill and precision, but without quite the passion, emotion and power of a Welsh choir, so masterfully and compellingly demonstrated by your choir on the night. They really did themselves proud. The P&DMVC ladies' musical team are always sure to come up with a defining performance or two and so it was this night. Two items which knocked 'em dead, so to speak, were Rivers of Babylon, and an unaccompanied 'Lift Thine Eyes' from The Elijah. The acoustics helped certainly, but the ladies performed this item so beautifully, presenting us with such a harmonic, ethereal, spiritual quality, as to define the religious experience wholly. Just wonderful! The audience seemed overwhelmed by the concert, P&DMVC and its musical team. There was an air of quiet, modest satisfaction amongst the choristers regarding their performance on returning to the hotel for some well-earned light liquid refreshment. P&DMVC arrived home Monday afternoon having had the experience of a superb weekend, but also, treating Devon to a superb weekend in return.
A.S.