On an icy, snowy evening last Friday, members of the Arts Club and their friends gathered at Church House where they enjoyed one of the best programmes of the season. Three members of the club gave selected readings of prose or poetry on the theme of 'Some men and women'.
The leader of the trio, John Beynon, set the scene with a well-known quotation from Shakespeare's 'As you like It' - 'All the world's a stage'. Continuing with Shakespeare from 'Hamlet', John Bevan read us sound advice from a father (Polonius) to his son (Laertes).
Moving down the centuries, Mollie Neate read an extract from 'Cider with Rosie' where Laurie Lee describes his unconventional mother, warts and all! Mollie's sensitive reading expressed Laurie Lee's great affection for his mother very well.
The relationship of father to son and son to mother was given a jolt when Lady Bracknell's demands of a suitor for her daughter caused dismay in the breast of poor Ernest, the suitor. Mollie Neate and John Beynon played their parts admirably, to much applause.
John Wright's moving story of a dying man's life-long love of coracle fishing was beautifully narrated by John Bevan. Then, in very different mood, Cynddylan's pride in his tractor brought much laughter from the audience.
Dorothy Parker's waspish observations on choosing a partner were in sharp contrast to those of the two gentlemen in 'My Fair Lady' who gently extolled their own virtues and bemoaned the lack of these in women.
A warts and all relationship was described in Caitlin Thomas's story of life with her husband Dylan. Later from Dylan Thomas's 'Under Milk Wood', the scene where Rev. and Mrs. Pugh shared a meal at School House portrayed a very different union. Mollie and John Beynon played their parts to perfection.
Other pieces from Robert Browning, T. S. Eliot, J. B. Priestley and Thomas Hardy all explored relationships between men and women in verse or prose; sometimes an inanimate object became the focus of affection.
The extracts were read with the humour or gravity that each piece demanded. There was both of these in Edward Law's 'History of Little Englanders' in which he is highly critical of the people of Tenby. John Bevan read this with a wry smile!
The whole programme was most enjoyable and the club is very grateful to John Beynon for producing it and to John Bevan and Mollie Neate for their excellent contribution to one of the highlights of the season.
This (Friday) evening there is a change to the programme. John Archer Thomson will be talking about his 'Travels in Morocco' instead of the handbell ringers who will be with the club next Friday, February 20. Non-members are welcome to Church House at 8 pm. Light refreshments afterwards.