After you Claud
NO, after you, Cecil... There was some uncertainty in the Village Hall on
Saturday evening as to the origin of the phrase (since resolved by the Penguin
Dictionary of Quotations - a catchphrase from Itma - and Claud is spelled
"Claude") but everyone was happy to associate it with Good Manners,
being the theme of the evening's entertainment.
For the benefit of St Mary's Church, Hilary Sage & Co. (Swaffham Prior Entertainments inc.) had enrolled Rex Freeman, known to many as the leading light of Pied Pipers, and Geoff Hales, to present a review on the subject.
With no props except two chairs and an interestingly contrived lectern, these gentlemen proceeded to enchant a sizeable audience with a wellprepared double act (reminding me of Bird and Fortune, without the cynicism) of readings, recitations and the occasional song, all illuminating some aspect of etiquette and manners.
Most (all?) of the material, like most of the audience, was not exactly in the first flush of youth. The golden age of manners seems to have stretched from early Gilbert and Sullivan to the late Edwardian, but has provided some memorable moments. Two sources in particular, "A Pattern of Islands" by Arthur Grimble, and "Period Piece" by Gwen Raverat have long been favourites of mine, and contain many more treasures than the excerpts given - maybe future prospects for the reading club?
Much of the real enjoyment, however, was just to listen to skilled performers who could have made the Yellow Pages interesting. We seem to have little opportunity to appreciate at first hand the art of the raconteur and the power of the well-spoken word. To do so in the company of friends and acquaintances which I also seem to have too little opportunity to appreciate at first hand made it a particularly pleasant evening.