Mrs Hyacinth Pluckett’s Edwardian Soirée – Haworth West Lane Baptist Amateurs

THE HAWORTH group provided a splendid climax to the village’s annual 1940s event.

A full house wildly applauded a programme of two dozen favourite numbers for soloists and chorus, the ladies in swirling gowns and the gentle men in white tie and tails.

The show was directed by Christine Ingham, with piano accompaniment by Karen Ballantine with her lurcher dog Storr, and conducted by Pam Dimbleby.

We were warmly welcomed by the energetic and somewhat bossy hostas Mrs Pluckett, song by chorus member Jo Mulley with choral bells, and Ian Dobson singing The Policeman’s Song from The Pirates Of Penzance, a timely calling card for the company’s next production in November.

Michael Lofthouse singing under the name of Bebington, then perfectly became The Man From Monte Carlo.

Two further members of the chorus followed: Timothy Bastow with one of his celebrated monologues She Wore a Golden Locket, then George Murphy with Fancyman Stan.

The music director Pamela Dimbleby then sang Home Sweet Home, and very sweet it was. Widdecombe Fair was next with James Gill squawking crisply as Harry Hawk.

Finally, the first part was concluded with Janine McAndrew, the company’s prima mezzo-soprano, singing Love’s Sweet Song.

After a refreshing interval with drink and cakes, the conductor’s baton Hailed Poetry and then Up-i-dee, Up-i-da. The next soloist from the chorus was Gill Dobson singing I’m A Simple Little Child before another, Eric Stow, donned a vicar’s collar for The Vicar Of Bray.

We then could have been in church to hear the young Jasmine Colgan’s beautiful rendering of Caesar Franck’s Panis Angelicus.

As if inspired, the evening’s hostess made it abundantly clear that She Wanted To Sing In Opera.

Two quieter moments came with Would You Buy me Pretty Flowers and an encore from Mme McAndrew with When Our Gallant Norman Foes from The Yeoman Of The Guard.

Timothy Bartow’s second monologue brought us down-to-earth, followed by the second musical medley with Daisy, Daisy, Give Me Your Answer Do and After The Ball Is Over, as it nearly was because Roly Robertshaw, a famous Major-General no less, had to pester his wife the hostess evening before he finally joined Hyacinth Pluckett in Silver Threads Among The Gold. Then it was time for Auld Lang Syne.

A wonderful evening John Pettitt