An afternoon of theatre, fun and yummy picnic food
Our Wimborne St Giles Jolly guests were treated to a lovely afternoon full of good food, laughter, and a touch of theatrical magic from the brilliant Brave Bold Drama Theatre Company!
We began with a picnic lunch from The Friendly Food Club, who treated us to a wonderful spread of favourites. There were four classic sandwich fillings to choose from, mini sausage rolls, feta and tomato muffins, and croissants brimming with coronation chicken (or a tofu version for those who preferred a veggie twist). The table looked a picture, complete with cheerful pineapple and cheese hedgehogs, and all sorts of tasty nibbles.
Just when we thought we couldn’t manage another bite, out came Bake Off winner Raoul’s famous lemon, cinnamon and blueberry traybake squares, light, tangy, and utterly irresistible, alongside juicy slices of fresh watermelon. As one guest happily declared, “I wanted to eat everything, but it was impossible! I was stuffed, it was all so delicious!”
After lunch, the Brave Bold Drama Theatre Company took to the stage, and we couldn’t have been happier to welcome Gill and Paul back with their wonderfully funny shows Pumpkins and Sticky Ends.
We were introduced to Gourdon and Melonie, two activist pumpkins with a mission: to stop their fellow squashes from ending up in the bin after Halloween. With a ukulele in hand, a hand-drawn presentation, and a delightfully dreadful poem, they set out to prove that pumpkins deserve a much happier fate. Along the way, we all learned a thing or two about the hidden goodness inside these bright orange beauties and the many delicious ways to use them instead of throwing them away.
Every guest even went home with a free pumpkin recipe as a small reminder that with a little imagination, no pumpkin need ever go to waste. After all, as Gourdon and Melonie so wisely reminded us: pumpkins belong on plates, not in bins! and had us all laughing as they explained why the inner flesh should never be wasted – not only tasty, but full of goodness too, with vitamins A, B, C and E, minerals, and fibre to keep us healthy. They even shared ideas for pumpkin soup, pancakes, muffins and risotto! They all sounded so tempting we may just give them a try!
The fun continued with a spot of audience participation with the performance of Sticky Ends – a delightfully surreal improv show that took a cheeky swipe at old-fashioned cautionary tales! Turning the tradition of heavy moralising on its head, this show celebrated silliness, creativity, and the unexpected.
Everyone was invited to jot down something they were “told never to do,” and three slips were drawn at random: never meddle, never stop knitting and crocheting, and don’t overeat. From those, Gill and Paul created an instant theatre story on the spot, a completely unique and very funny adventure that had everyone in stitches.
To finish, guests joined in a short creative workshop, making up their own instant stories using story box jigsaws or simply their imaginations.
It was a jolly, lively afternoon, full of laughter, creativity and good company. Our heartfelt thanks go to Brave Bold Drama Theatre Company for their energy and fun, to The Friendly Food Company for the delicious picnic, and to everyone who joined us, including our local friends from the Home Education Group.
Here’s to more afternoons just like this one!
