Mickleton

Actress Gillian Andrews gave a talk on the subject of Behind the TV Camera. She told how actors have to be called very early in the mornings to be ready as soon as filming starts and costumes have to be just right. These days films are made on locations, be it a stately home or a railway cutting. She then went on to describe what stage drinks are really made of and that they are not a very nice concoction.

Gillian still does parts for TV and also the radio. Nancy Bowstead gave a vote of thanks and tea and a chat was enjoyed by all.

In glorious warm sunshine, 26 members set out to Filkins in Oxfordshire. The drive was a beautiful one with the villages passed through and the countryside, looking its best. The object was Filkins, the one time home of Sir Stafford Cripps, who opened up his quarry there and tempted out of retirement a famous slater and mason George Swinford, to make new slate roofs for the village. The village, now weathered and mellowed, has become an example of how a Cotswold village should be preserved.

Members then lunched at The Five Alls Inn, in the village.

After lunch a visit was made to Filkins Museum, home of the Cotswold Weavers, which was started by George Swinford.

MEON SINGERS: If last season their audiences said the Meon Singers had found a new lease of life under their new director, Frieda Jelfs, then this spring the choir is in blooming health with the conductor, pianist and choir coming together as one piece. On Friday, May 16, in the King George's Hall, Mickleton, they entertained their audience to an evening of Music from the Musicals prefaced before the interval by a string of melodies and popular standards interspersed with humorous solo songs and instrumental pieces.

Trombonist Deidre Greenwood had people giggling with a Jimmy Edwards-style rendering of The Acrobat; violinist Marion Morgan had feet tapping to a couple of Irish jigs and her daughter, seven-year-old Hannah, bowled everyone over with a rendering of a well-known solo piece from one of the musicals.

The first half was packed with contrasts in tempo, tone and style carrying us across the waters with Deep River and the Skye Boat Song, through All in the April Evening to bring us Westering Home sweetly to the interval with an audience participation in a hearty I Do Like to be Beside the seaside. All the smaller groups of singers and soloists came from within the choir and its great versatility was expressively demonstrated not last by the second half performances of stylistically different renderings of 15 Songs from the Shows.

The evening was put on to raise funds for the King George's Hall Development Fund and much appreciation was declared on behalf of the packed audience for the Trojan efforts of everyone involved right through from the pianist Ann Renfrew, the choir, the soloists, the backroom boys and girls and the WI for refreshments and, of course, director, Frieda Jelfs. Not only are the Meon Singers back in business - their strong hearts are beating musically.

Brian Lancaster