The Broadway stage is set in the Spring and the Fall
no, not New York, its Fairlight Village Hall !

Inside - a tin cupboard with old bulging doors
crammed full of scripts with long gone applause.

60 years of creating residents’ delight
with most seats full on opening night.

 One hundred and score stories turned into plays
lots forgotten many that amazed.

With authors famous, some quite obscure
gathering dust - a few played once more.

Love stories, murder mysteries and numerous farces
and refined Georgian Ladies falling on their …Darcy’s !

So the play is chosen for Fairlight’s fun and fright
but no nudity please - they may remember that night !

Keen actors both young, some green or slight grey - & nowadays - some gay
Audition - with sharpened new accents - for a part in the play.

But fond memories of fine actors and crews passed away
makes for thoughtful selection to perform on the day.

Cast chosen and 12 weeks line learning to engage in the romp,
of course, old stagers knowing - they will out do the Prompt !

At rehearsals, Producer or Director is soon keen to reveal
what’s required of cast to be life-like and real - (a little more pout Darling! )

Amateur Set makers, in sheds up the road
are building stage specials - grand pianos, falling windows
or even rads that explode !

The fabulous costumes, the suits, coats and frocks
the Wardrobe Mistress and helpers have sewn up - and socks

Committee and Prop Mistress have trailed both junk and fine shops
persuading free loans of grand furniture, and marvellous props !

During excellent ‘green room’ much stage advice overheard
from quasi producers, set designers, artistes - all quite absurd !

Posters & Programmes - with adverts ! - all printed & in Fairlight abound,
sold fast at Post Office ! - could they have added a Pound ?

Décor - always chosen and applied with aplomb
transforming the set to a home - where the cast will belong.

Jealous Villagers envious of such well built scenes
knowing 3 days later - stage will be clear and clean !
(and of course to the Standards of the Village Hall Team?!)

‘I’m here !’- Mouth members of cast to the Observer Newspaper’s lens -
‘Have your Autograph books ready - do you need pens ?’

Stage Lighting’s well lit to Spotlight the hero, the beauty, the dastardly cove,
or filter the sunlight , the sunset - the Mauve ? (its Décor - you know!)

Sounds in beginning from piano, 78s, Vinyl, Cassette & CD - how new!
Now Hernbolt, Minidisk, &MP3- with music, ‘phones, fizzes - some on cue!

Dressing Room now thriving with make up, champers and leg breaking cards
the 1st night performers, undressed, unruffled - unchanged since the Bard !

Both Backstage and Front House teams say ‘Ready to Go !’
Fairlighters seated - Curtain Up - On with the Show !

Once hesitant rehearsers now feeling their feet
Surely no slip ups, missed lines or hearts missing a beat ??..

Phew it’s Interval time with much laughter and clap
and bar rafflers remark - ‘ Great Show !’ …. ‘Is it…?
I couldn’t see through that blooming great ’at !’

Play pulls together - serious stuff
just two trousers falling and wives in a huff !

Quickly it seems Final Curtain appears -
with exuberant cast and stupendous cheers
….as audience departs voicing ‘Best one for Years !’

With Mugshot photo’s unpinned of the suave crew and cast - no tears -
the celebratory party gets going - at last ! - Hic ! Cheers !

Eagerly awaited is the Play’s DVD - ‘Oo is that ME ?!
‘Recorded for training purposes only’ states the Secretary !

With set dismantled and all stashed away
cast interpret ‘interesting’ reviews of the marvellous play !?

Now into the old cupboard the scripts all must go
and who knows - perhaps a re-run for next season’s show ?

Well - it had audience Keen and Audience packed Full -
In Fairlight ? So what’s the Draw ? - What’s the Pull ?

There’s no bad Language - no violent effects -
Perhaps it’s lack of - you know what - in East Sus- SEX !

What’s that ?- Join ? You want to ? Please do - but just one condition -
You Must Enthuse, Inspire, Have fun, to continue the long, long, tradition…

for You the Fair - Light Lads and Light Fair Lassies -
shall bring First Class entertainment to Fairlight’s masses !

So … Fairlight Players …with your Broadway Stars of laughter & song
Fair Play to you - Play On ! Play On !

© Keith Jellicoe