Dancing out

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St Albans Mummers

St Albans Mummers – with Trevor Adams (centre) as the Lord of Misrule and Mike Bennett as St George. 

Christmas is fast approaching and some of our dancers will soon be found around the locales of St Albans, performing the traditional mummers play of St George and the Dragon.  

The Mummers first appeared in St Albans over fifty years ago when a group of friends, mainly members of St Albans Morris Men, decided to put on a play every Boxing Day. They chose a play which had been modified from an earlier text by “Neggy” Wilson, a schoolmaster in the Hertfordshire village of Croxley Green, about fifty years before. 

The Mummers have become a major feature of Christmas in St Albans, raising money for local charities. You can find out more about the St Albans Mummers by visiting their website, or you can download their leaflet to find our where to join them this Boxing Day. 

St Albans Mummers leafletDownload
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Croxley Mummers

When not dancing, some of St Albans Morris may be found ‘mummering’. 

  • Chris Hillier, 3rd from left, as Father Christmas with the Croxley Mummers.

The custom of ‘Mummering’ or The Mummers’ Play has a long tradition over several centuries and the story line can take many forms. The play itself is loosely based around the hero, St George. 

The play performed by the Croxley Mummers originated shortly after the First World War when Neggy Wilson, headmaster of Croxley Boys’ School, decided to gather together a Mummers’ Troupe in Croxley Green.  He created a version of the play from accounts of those used around the country and this was the version performed until the mid-1950s. 

In 1994, a group of friends meeting in a Croxley pub revived the play, with St Albans Morris’ Nigel Moorcroft the original St George and our treasurer, Chris Hillier playing Father Christmas. 

It soon became the tradition for this imaginative group to be asked to perform the play yearly on Christmas. The Croxley Mummers raise money for local charitable works, including the Watford Peace Hospice and to date, in this, the 25th year of the revival of the original play, they have raised over £7500. 

This year, you can see the play performed around Croxley Green on 23rd December. 

Croxley Green Mummers poster 2018Download
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Breaking the habits of a lifetime?

Our season traditionally begins with dancing outside the Town Hall at 0600 on May 1st, the date summer is supposed to start. But this year the Town Hall is a building site, so we’re dancing in the evening of May 1 in St Michael’s.

And just to be awkward, that will be the 3rd time we dance in public this summer. We’re at Caddington Village St George’s Day Celebration on Saturday 28 April and the Mayor’s Cream Tea on Sunday 29 April. With our final practice on Monday 30th, that’s 4 consecutive days we’ll have our hankies out!

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A record?

At last night’s practice, for the first time in ages – certainly this decade and conceivably this millennium – we had enough for 2 full sets of 6 dancers and were well on the way to a third.

16 people danced at least some of the time, including 4 people new to us this winter. The 17th stuck to his pipe and tabor.

If you’ve ever fancied dancing, now’s a great time to start. Come along any Monday from 2000 to 4th Scout Hut, Riverside Road, St Albans AL1 1QW.

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The First of Ma(n)y

The season kicks off with our first ‘spot’ at the Bright Star, as part of Kimpton May Fayre. Vandalls is the first dance and it’s Emma and Callum’s first appearance in public.

They first came to a practice last October and now they are “dancing out” as we say. If you fancy doing the same, just ask any of the team at any event.

After the Bright Star we perform a second ‘spot’ at The Boot in Kimpton where amongst the audience invited to join in a dance are the Fayre’s May Queen and her attendants.

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Summer is upon us!

may1It may not feel like it from the weather, but the summer is almost here. Our dancing season traditionally starts on 1 May. The programme is now up on this website, but is as ever subject to change.

This season is a few days longer than usual – we’re starting at Kimpton on 30th April (because they asked us!) and finishing 5 months later with our day of dance on the last Saturday in September, this year as late as it can be on 30th September.

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Day of Dance

We always look forward to our day of dance on the last Saturday in September. It’s the culmination of our season and we invite other teams to come and enjoy the delights of St Albans and the surrounding area.
Here’s where we’re taking Blackheath, Coventry and Ripley on Saturday 24th September.

The approximate timetable for the day is as below. Not all teams will dance at each show.

10.30  – 11.00  Alban Arena

11.15 – 11.40 Clock Tower and Christopher Place

11.50 – 12.15 Christopher Place and Clock Tower

12.30 – 12.45 Lower Red Lion

14.30 – 15.00 Mosquito Museum

16.30 – 17.30 Bull, London Colney (Informal dancing )

18.00 onwards  White Hart Tap. We’re going to chill, have a little to eat and we might be persuaded to dance a bit more.

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Come and try dancing!

DSCN1391Morris dancing is fun! Why not come and try it? Women and men are welcome. It’s much more fun than going to the gym, you work as a team and you get to go to the pub afterwards.

Don’t be shy! No previous dancing experience is needed as our friendly teacher will get you moving in the right direction in no time at all.

The next taster evening is at 8pm on Monday 12th September at the Scout Hut in Riverside Road, St Albans AL1 1SE.

If you would like more details please phone Andrew on 01727 833028 or Trevor on 01707 883476