First Theatre Festival: Last on the card

Have I really not taken a photograph since last Sunday? Apparently not. But my last snapshot is a good souvenir. It’s the final event in Ripon’s first Theatre Festival, and here we all are, all 500 of us, at Fountains Abbey, waiting for Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream played by the spirited and energetic Illyria to begin.

For Brian’s Last on the Card challenge, I’m only supposed you show my last photo, and without commentary at that, but why shouldn’t I give you a flavour of Saturday in the Market Square, with its bands, its jugglers, its stilt walkers, its slapstick entertainers?

My choir was part of the Fringe too, and sang a cappella at the bandstand in the Spa Gardens bright and early on the Saturday. But I couldn’t take a photo and sing too. You can take multi-tasking too far.

Author: margaret21

I'm retired and live in North Yorkshire, where I walk , write, volunteer and travel as often as I can.

48 thoughts on “First Theatre Festival: Last on the card”

  3. Fantastic event! And where’s all this rain you keep moaning about? It looks glorious. Like Sue I admired the peahens, though perhaps they shouldn’t have been so colourful?

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  4. Maybe you should consider one of those selfie sticks? 😉

    While we wait for a multi-tasking, singing self portrait though, these are welcome harbingers of summer fun!

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  5. A great lot of Last Photos…..oh well I am used to the rule benders by now 😂 Love the backdrop for the play a wonderful arena. Thanks for joining in Margaret 🙂 🙂

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  6. Selfie sticks are so last decade, Sandra (as if I’d know …). But yes, it was a marvellous weekend, full of community spirit and bonhomie.

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  7. What a brilliant last photo! Live those clouds reflected…. and I so fondly remember the outdoor theatres we enjoyed in Exeter and Darlington, the outdoor concerts where we sang as small or huge choirs. Unforgettable!
    We actually should attend an event tonight in a botanical garden – a premiere too and are deeply worried because after tons a great weather we had a night of thunderstorms and wild rain. It’s still raining…. BUT hopefully it will dry sufficiently that the singers and artists will be able to perform….

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    1. Oh, I hope so too Kiki. We harbour memories of an outdoor performance of Romeo and Juliet where we got so thoroughly soaked we even had to wring our underwear out. And we thought we’d gone prepared. Nice to see you back in the blogosphere – and enjoy that performance tonight, whatever the weather.

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  9. The Abbey makes a cracking backdrop for any event. So nice to see the gatherings and festivals taking place again.

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  11. That looks a great festival, so colourful! And Ripon’s Market Square is a lovely setting for this sort of event. We’re looking forward to revisiting in August 🙂

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    1. Just found this in my spam folder! I wonder when you’ll be in Ripon? We’re only away for one week – in London – probably the week you Londoners are up here? 15th …?

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  12. What a great post. it is good to be able to gather together again. I too have a very difficult time simply a photo without words or an explanation. happy summer.

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    1. Yes, we’re both a bit too wordy, aren’t we? But yes, theatre in the open air was a great way to enjoy and unexpectedly balmy summer evening.

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  19. Oh wow, Fountains Abbey. Never been there, but I read most if not all the books by Aelred of Rievaulx, so if I ever go to England, I really want to visit this place

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    1. I’m impressed. I have read nothing by Aelred of Rievaulx, so I’ll need to try to put that right. If you come to Yorkshire, Fountains Abbey and Rievaulx both have to be on the list!

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  23. I love the one with the ball on the man’s head. It looks like a good time was had by all. You could have tried to multitask, though one or the other (the picture or the voice) might have been wobbly. I dare say the conductor would not approve.

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