Tuesday, May 22, 2007

A Cookham Tale

The Tarrystone Players are a local theatre group in Cookham. So named after the Tarrystone, a big rock at the end of the High Street where legend has it, people used to wait around (or "tarry") before doing some sporting competitions. During the Cookham Festival,the Players had an open-air performance of The Pardoner's Tale from The Canterbury Tales. G, my mom, G's sister, Lena and I walked down to watch it. It was a lovely evening and a fun way to pass an hour or so. Here are some pictures and a snippet of relevant text or a comment for each.

Tell us some moral thing, that we may lear
Some wit, and thenne will we gladly hear
"I grant y-wis," quoth he; "but I must think
Upon some honest thing while that I drink."


I don't actually have a bit of text for this picture, I just liked that he had his empty beer cup upside down on his head. He could be a Hasher.


More wondrous signes of empoisoning,
Than had these wretches two ere their ending.
Thus ended be these homicides two,
And eke the false empoisoner also
.


Just a comment, that the top dead guy looks a bit too enthused about encroaching Death.

And well-earned applause from the audience.

Tarrystone Players website: http://www.geocities.com/tarrystoneplayers/

The full Pardoner's Tale and Prologue: http://www.readprint.com/chapter-1770/Geoffrey-Chaucer

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