Littleport Women’s Institute Takes a trip Down Memory Lane

How many people remember the WI Concert Party?

We thought about it and decided it was a good idea. It was a great success!
There were 20-25 members involved. We did sketches, poems and songs from the roaring twenties and popular shows.

We performed around other villages and said we were on tour. We had no problem getting an audience. They clapped when things were right and even louder when things went horribly wrong.
Doreen Arnold wrote many of the sketches, in one of which she and Madge played parents to Cynthia and Val. Cynthia was out of control laughing so much that the producer, Winnie, was frantically telling Val to stop her. The audience loved it.

Later Val came on as Boy George and got asked for her autograph.
In the ‘Allo ‘Allo take off, Doreen’s moustache started to slip, she tried to blow it off which had the others on stage in hysterics.
When we did the circus scenes Maggie was a tight rope walker- no fear of falling off as the rope was stretched across the floor.

There was lots of singing and dancing, solos and duets, by the whole company, accompanied by pianists Mrs Kerridge and Irene Howe.

One memorable time was when we had finished our concert and were told to help ourselves to the refreshments. There were two beautiful sponges uncut. I was handed a knife and was told ‘Val you cut them as you are good at that’. Unfortunately we ate the two main draw prizes, the two lovely sponges.

After one concert it had been snowing and we had to get off the coach to help push it out of a snow drift. Mrs Winnie Law had the unenviable task of producing the show and trying to keep us all under control. There are too many tales to relate on this page, but fun was had by all.
Submitted by members of the WI Concert Party.

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