The play runs for about 20 minutes depending on how creative we are and how much audience participation (interruptions!) there is. Our costumes are more traditional than modern with strips of cloth hanging from hats and jackets. Christmas Boy calls for the audience's
attention and introduces Father Christmas who is dressed in a white smock played more as the Lord of Misrule than the modern version. King George's man says, 'I' am come here to let you understand the meaning of our play...' but none of us really know the meaning! King George and the Turkish Knight are traditional and they square up to each other. After an initial skirmish, King George kills his adversary. In comes Peter Lamb the Doctor. He's been to England, Scotland, Ireland and Dover ('Andover?', as we retort. Andover is a Hampshire town about 30 miles away). Our Doctor 'cures' the Turkish Knight but this part is not quite as long as in some other plays. We also have a Johnny Jack who comes in last but one to plead for charity ('...With my family on my back. Out of eight there is but five, All the rest is starved alive'). Then Billy Wit comes in for some obscure reason followed, as a new character this year by Beelzebub to close the proceedings. We have added an extra verse to the Mummers' Song with which we finish and follow that with one verse and chorus of 'We wish you a Merry Christmas'. The hat is then passed round to collect for a local charity.
Happy mumming to one and all.