4. Dover Tales
This is a shot from the Dover Tales production of Chaucer's Miller's Tale, presented as part of the Faversham Hop Festival Fringe Events at the Arden Theatre, September 2017. Thanks to Christopher Briggs for the photo.
Dover Tales are a group of friends who are engaged in a range of cultural events with a particular emphasis upon the history and tales of the Dover area. Monthly 'Rags and Tatters' meetings take place on the first Monday of the month at the Louis Armstrong pub in Dover. These monthly sessions are an eclectic gathering of singers, poets, storytellers who meet to celebrate local history and folklore in various different ways. In addition, many special events have been organised by Barry O'Brien, Nic Lucas and Ray Newsam. It has been a great privilege to be involved with several of these productions.
A Bunch of Thyme
A Bunch of Thyme was a theatrical production telling the tale of the Folkestone Murders of 1856. The production was by Dover Tales and staged at the Tom Thumb Theatre in Margate in April 2015. I was pleased to be involved as the singer/dulcimer player in the production and I am grateful to the producers Nic Lucas and Barry O'Brien for asking me to take on this part.
This, slightly modified, version of the English traditional folk song, A Bunch of Thyme, accompanied by dulcimer, was used in the final part of the performance.
Soundcloud Link to A Bunch of Thyme
Interspersed with the telling of the story, primarily from contemporary sources, was the folk ballad recounting the events: The Folkestone Murder. The ballad tells the story of a tragic double murder which took place on a coastal path between Dover and Folkestone in 1856. Several versions of the song have been found by folk song collectors, both in England and Canada, but this rendition is closest to that sung by George Spicer from Copthorne, Sussex, in 1956 and published in Peter Kennedy's collection, Folksongs of Britain and Ireland (1975).
Soundcloud Link to The Folkestone Murder
Performing poems set to dulcimer with Barry O'Brien at a Dover Tales concert held at Kersney Abbey, March 2017. This atmospheric photo was taken by Richard Bundy.
Nic Lucas leading the Dover Tales cast in the final song (Up and Down the Tide - the Captain Webb Song) from their performance at the Arden Theatre Faversham, September 2017. Thanks to Christopher Briggs for this 'action' shot.
This is the Dover Hoodeners performing a 'horse resurrection' during a Dover Tales Rags and Tatters evening at the Louis Armstrong, Dover, December 2019. The photo is by the dulcimer player,