The Living Journal of the Yateley Morrismen 080918 Lads Day Out. Southbank, London

Our third annual day out organised by Ian S with help from Tom B. Dodgy trains but we all arrived within minutes of each other at the (in)famous Hole in the Wall at Waterloo. Excellent and cheap local beers (‘I can taste the grapefruit… ‘). A short amble en masse to the Southbank to general astonishment from the cosmopolitan hordes, starting outside the National Theatre with the (LOUD) Fool giving it plenty of blather about a ‘traditional performing art form of the people’….and he didn’t stop all day… We had two sides, 12 dancers and we did look rather good…

We progressed along the Southbank, only moved on once, performing to large crowds and lot of happy tourists keen to have photies and purchase our excellent badges and keyrings…well done Phil. The Horse had been unleashed by now and was running amok, lots of ‘runners’ to chase, children to frighten and unsuspecting tourists to creep up on….. The brute kept it up all day, and he loved it.

Lunch at Gabriel’s Wharf and a few dances with a multitude of cameras clicking and a quick one (or two) at the Mulberry Bush pub plus a few dances and on to the Hungry Bear and then back to the riverside for the the Dogget’s Pub and then the raucous Founder’s Arm – top spot of the day.

Lots of punters at the tables and on the steps who roared us on from the first dance. A large and friendly crowd gathered entertained by the dancing and amused by the frantic work of fool and beast. Our Fool was ‘accidentally’ nudged into a box shrubbery and legs akimbo was unable to get out! J A definite highlight for Horse, us and the laughing crowd! A persistent Andy Y extracted the lovely Girgia from behind the bar to be our Maid of The Mill and the final lift earnt a roar from the crowd. Max, still full of energy, and Rod performed a very well received Princess Royal, Ba jig.

The dancing was good…and strenuous as the Squire playfully lobbed in Eynsham dances and other rareties. Corporal Landlock’s Skirmish was a step too far tho’…. Interestingly many of the compliments received were from Brits, perhaps the morris IS starting to be appreciated by Joe Public.

A slow amble back towards Waterloo took us almost past the Mulberry Bush which was rocking so we dropped in for a quick beer – horse and fool causing mayhem in a private upstairs party… Onto Waterloo and the party over as the Wokingham and Farnborough posses made their weary but cheery ways home. Well done Ian!

Artistes

Andy Pobjoy, Andrew Armitage, Steve Betts, Tim Lloyd, Chris Chapple, Baz Crossman, Ross Healey, Ian Sutherland, Phil Goddard, Tom Brady, Max Haynes, Greg Bramwell, Ian Young, Andy Young, Roderick Crane, Robin Acreman civvies, WFYH.

RH