Here’s to the lass’

The Plymouth Morris men (PMM) traditionally hold their annual ceilidh on the last Saturday of January. This year it’s their 39th anniversary, so to make this year’s event special they have introduced a new song and dance; Bonny Green Garters. Normally the team finish a display with the Rose, kidnapping or rather press-ganging a female from the audience to dance around. Tonight they decided to have all men affair, so Bonny Green Garter's was chosen.

The dance commences with a song, each Morris man singing to the fullest extent of his vocal capacity (loud and out of tune to you and me!); “Here’s to the lass’ we love them so well, though some are regular tarters. Off with their knickers and off with their bras and off with their bonny green garters”.

With obligatory waving of handkerchiefs and much stumbling they commence their dance with such gusto of enthusiasm within a few minutes numerous uninvited audience members have joined in. I only wished I could have danced with them.

This has been my first ceilidh with the PMM., the evening has provided me with further research images which I have uploaded to http://www.folley.eu/index.php?project=Morris My research photographs have also provided me with reference material for future picture compositions. It didn’t help with audience references which I was keen to study. Two reasons for this: firstly, the venue’s lighting was not sufficient lit and secondly, I did not wish to use my flash, thinking it might spoil the enjoyment of the other revelers. However, at the next event, (which might be Ladies Night or Pallet’s Birthday) I will arrange for the team to introduce me (now that it has been made official I am their painter-in-residence; I have been awarded the team’s smock and jangle brush to prove it!) and explain how I wish to use the audience reference material. After all with all the new rulings regarding political correctness or infringements of civil liberalities and possible litigation, the modern painter has to be so aware of the inherent dangers he treads.