plays and parties

Saturday was a very busy day. In the late afternoon I lay down and napped for half an hour to give me the energy to go out in that evening to The Playhouse.

I'd been unwell last month and hadn't made it to the first of Rep's Shakespeare season, but I did want to see the last night of other play A Midsummer Night's Dream

Before we left for town, I read the first few pages of the relevant chapter in Lamb's Shakespeare to refresh my memory of the opening of the play, since I suspected it might take a few moments to attune my ear to the players.

Robert Jarman's production had a few quiry moments - the set decorated with film posters, the people of Athens dressed in K-Mart pyjamas - but overall the Bard still came through pretty well. Aniela Grun was appropriately regal as Titania, and of course Ray Sangston's Puck gets nearly all the good lines.

Three groups of characters weave in and out of the story, making up one of Shakespeare's most original offerings.

The capacity audience cheered wildly at the curtain, throwing streamers as the cast took their final bow of the show.

Even after four centuries, still a big crowd-pleaser.

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As soon as we left church on Sunday morning, we went into high gear so we could finish at Julie's property then head south along the Southern Expressway. Turn off towards Sandfly, then head towards Allen's Rivulet. Another furlong and you came to the house where a rare event was being celebrated -- a Diamond wedding anniversary, complete with a message of congratulations from Her Majesty the Queen.



Friends and relatives of Don and Nan came from as far away as Launceston to wish the couple the best. One of the in-laws murmured that in the modern world this would probably be the only 60th wedding anniversary he would ever attend.

There was food, fellowship and the singing of "For They Are Jolly Good Fellows". Don thanked us for coming and said that their door was always open -- "Until 7:30 when I go to bed and leave Nan surfing the net" he concluded.

Steve took us for a walk around the property and showed us their resident paddymelon wallaby (like a small kangaroo) who lives in their backyard. Her favourite treat? A freshly picked rose.