Diss Corn Hall Celebration 10/9/’11

Double rainbow, (almost visible here..) outside The Corn Hall preceding the evening session.

“From the suggestion of Terence Blacker at a Diss Corn Hall meeting of the programming group last year came the idea of celebrating the Barsham and Albion Fairs of nearly 40 years ago. As one of the guardians of the Archive I immediately suggested putting on the Exhibition in the Stables Gallery, which doubles as the Corn Hall box office.
Terence suggested getting in touch with some of those people who were involved in the 70s and 80s to get the ball rolling and see what kind of event might accompany the exhibition. Two great meetings were held at my house, lots of reconnections made, but few actually offered much practical help except Gurn who said he’d be there for physical help at any event we organised. As we all know he tragically died earlier this year.
KAren With and I ended up doing the organising and contacting of performers, others helped with promoting and publicising. Mike and Martin spent many hours designing and writing the magnificent story boards for the exhibition. We had a great exhibition opening night in early August which was the start of the grand re-unions, followed up by Saturday’s one day event. 

The day and evening event was worth all the hard work: heartfelt, touching, nostalgic in the best possible way, hilarious and thought provoking. To the background visuals of the Archive in the bar area, an inflated elephant and globe in the Hall supplied by Rob Harries, the Insect Circus caravan and the Foolhardy painted van outside.
People who hadn’t clapped eyes on each other for 30 years or more were able to embrace and renew the powerful connections made in their younger days. People came from Denmark, France, Wales and London to join those living locally. The weather stayed mild so almost all the afternoon music took place outside, with food supplied by Karen Dunlop and her team and Buffy’s beer from the bar.

In the Hall, Bruce and Kevin Lacey’s films were playing on a loop, riveting to watch and bringing back the atmosphere so powerfully. Face painting (Alyze) and some stalls selling clothes and natural face and body products added to the ambiance.

The first tears came for me with two teenage girls, Bella and Nicola, singing in the bar, Let it Be, Halleluya, incredible voices and harmony from the next generation.
Suddenly Paddy Fletcher appeared in Beggar costume, asking for “charity” and wielding the same tin plate he used at Barsham! Now also selling the Big Issue (Crusades edition with info on Bubonic Plague). Closely followed by Jon Mc Kenna in the well loved Pink Policeman costume, keeping law and order and cracking jokes with Bazza Bizarre’s spiv. Bazza compered throughout, and also performed with the Foolhardy Folk in the main hall in the middle of the afternoon, wonderful slapstick and comedy. The highlight for me being the drumming on dustbin lids and buckets worn on the heads of Cosmo and co.

The evening: beginning with the Forum in which a panel of 5 talked about their experiences of putting on the Fairs, (focalised by Terence), followed by a hilariously outrageous accoustic set from Reg Rabbit and the Fast Breeders, then fantastic music from the Ivory Brothers, John Row’s poetry, a great escapology act by Jon McKenna, a moving performance by Nicolette Vine and her son Zeben Jameson, and of course the amazing Can Can girls, two mothers with their daughters, Maria, Gabi, Coco and Lily. 

The finale: James and Mike singing “Suffolk Comfort” with Bruce’s film playing as a backdrop will be forever etched in my mind as my life seemed to come full circle, surrounded by current friends and looking at the faces of those found again. 

It was certainly a night to remember.

With next year being the 40th anniversary of the first Barsham Fair I wonder who will take that on and if we’ll all meet up again?”

Madeline Lees

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Warm thanks to Madeline for that heart-felt review of a unique and lovely day.

And also much gratitude to Angela Sykes and her crew at the Corn Hall who helped everything go so smoothly.

Blog editor,(Temp.): Martin H
Blog photos: Tim Bastable and Martin H.

The complete collection of Tim Bastable’s wonderful photos from the evening session are available here
I thoroughly recommend you go and have a look.
Tim’s quite happy for you to download any you want and maybe you could put some names to faces while you’re there…

And if anybody has any photos from the daytime session, please let me know,(Martin H: muddydog42@gmail.com ), we’d love to have some to post.

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