Ely Folk Club

Mummers' Play

First performed on Wednesday 20^th December 2000 at Ely Folk Club.

Cast

OFT	Old Father Time
WK	Wednesday Knight
DK	Draconian Monster
St G	St Gerry
Molly	Molly
Malt	Maltster
Doc	A Doctor

Script

(Enter Old Father Time)
OFT	In comes I, Old Father Time A tale I've come to tell Of songs and music, old and new And p'raps some beer as well Gazing back along the years In dark and distant gloom A story that first began In this very room.
(Enter Wednesday Knight)
WK	In comes I, the Wednesday Knight To tell you of my dreary plight There's nothing doing in the town No music on for miles around Is there anyone out there Can help relieve the boredom here
(Enter St Gerry)
St G	In comes I, St Gerry From Uxbridge town come I I used to run a folk club there Known as the Load of Hay A festival I've started here And now the time is right A folk club for to organise All on a Wednesday Night Here in the Maltings we shall start Thence to the Angel pub The back room there a perfect home For the new Ely Folk Club
(Enter Molly)
Molly	And so it was long years ago That first I came alive Many since have come along And helped me to survive
WK	The room was small, the beer not good So as audiences grew The Club was relocated To the old Red, White and Blue Twelve months on, another move The Royal Standard bar With welcome fire in the hearth More comfortable by far
St G	The time has come, we must away My good wife, Sue, and me To seek some other fortune In Belfast, 'cross the sea With Ruth now at the helm I'm sure the club will grow I'd love to stay around here But I fear I must now go
(Exit St Gerry)
WK	Nearly seven years have passed Now twice a month the throngs Of people come along to share In Folk music and songs
Molly	The beginning of the Pagan year So folklorists do say A time of celebration For now 'tis the month of May
(Enter Draconian Beast)
Drac	In comes I the draconian beast With bylaws I have come To seek out and investigate All merriment and fun What's this? A gathering in a pub And advertised as well You cannot hold your folk club here 'Cos there's no P.E.L. That's a Public Entertainments Licence Without which only two May sing or play, without PA And that applies to YOU For when I see folks having fun The blood rushes to my head We can't have fun in this town So I'll fight you till you're dead
(Fight between Draconian Beast and Molly. Molly falls down, obviously badly injured)
WK	Oh Draconian Beast, why such a deed Now Molly on the floor do bleed Is there a doctor in this house Can cure the actions of this louse?
(Enter Maltster)
Malt	Yes, I am a doctor of sorts for many have I cured When ale that I have helped to brew from tankards has been poured I was there at Molly's birth and now 'twould be a pleasure To offer Moll a venue as a temporary measure
(Maltster administers ale from tankard to injured Molly, who is instantly revived. Draconian Beast slinks off, muttering)
Molly	Oh Maltster fine, you've saved the day Now though there is no pub In four months time we will away To Ely Football Club
OFT	But with football on the telly Folks soon began to mutter So Moll was on the move again This time to The Cutter
WK	The club's been here for eighteen months And now 'tis May again Plans afoot to celebrate When Molly reaches ten
Molly	The Cutter has new management Now sounds the warning bell For he's failed to renew The bloody P.E.L.
OFT	The King's Arms in St Mary's Street With a building out the back There's been so many venues now It's hard to keep a track
Molly	A committee now we'll form And Summer weeks we'll spend With render and with paint The old building we'll mend For though there is no P.E.L. It's separate from the pub So we can operate As a members-only club
WK	But Winter's chill begins to bite And teeth begin to chatter So back again the club returns Once more to the Cutter
(Enter Draconian Beast)
Drac	You can't meet here, you'll have to go You can't have a private club This is a public place you know That's why it's called a pub
Molly	This room is booked, we pay you know This really isn't funny There's nowhere else for us to go
Drac	Well, that's your problem, sonny.
Molly	We'll make a fuss, go to the press We'll make a dance and song
Drac	Well, that's just fine, but just make sure They don't spell my name wrong!
(Draconian Beast roars threateningly, then slinks off, somewhat smugly)
WK	Poor old Moll, where can he go Now driven from the city To see him die would be a shame Will nobody take pity
OFT	A pub now with a P.E.L. Between Ely and Sutton In the village of Witchford Called the Shoulder of Mutton But that won't do for folks won't come Out of Ely of a night It really starts to look as if the ending is in sight
WK	Some other doctor we must find To keep poor Moll alive So if you're out there, come on in And help him to survive
Doc	Not quite doc but more A DeC Now, do you think you might Continue with the Maltster's help If I will underwrite? You ask if I can fix it But that's really not my job After all I'm not a builder And nor is my name Bob!
Molly	After all these troubles I can't just give up the fight I won't be beaten by the beast and let down the Wednesday Knight I'll celebrate my decade with a day of dance and song A full programme of events to last the whole day long
OFT	A splendid day was had by all But numbers they were lacking And now poor Moll is in the red Despite the doctor's backing
WK	Now Moll is forced to take a rest Until some friendly pub With P.E.L. and pleasant room For poor Ely Folk Club
All	Now for next year there are a few events we have in store If they're well enough attended, perhaps there will be more And now our play is at an end Our thanks we do extend To those who have supported us Right to the bitter end

Song to Pace Egging Tune

All	We thank you for staying and hearing us out So now we all know what the fuss is about Now Molly is resting but before very long We hope to return with more music and song Our mumming is over, the story now done And now to continue the rest of the fun We hope that your Christmas is filled with good cheer And hope very much that we'll see you next year