A Celebration of the Traditions
of English Midwinter
VANCOUVER
- Christmas for most of us consists it seems, of a madcap round of gift shopping, a frenzy of family arrangements, culminating in an orgy of over indulgence, all to the incessant background music of White Christmas or Frosty The Snowman.
However Midwinter celebrations have been around much longer than Hollywood or even Christianity would have us believe. It is almost paradoxical that the darkest coldest days of the year should be the scene of such a variety of ceremonial and ritualistic activity.
Many of these customs still survive in England and in the Vancouver Folk Players production of Now Christmas is Come they are brought to life in an entertaining swirl of song and dance.
The show includes a Mumming play which was already ancient when Shakespeare was a boy, a sword dance which is believed to have been brought to England by Viking invaders, a recreation of the ceremony which takes place at Queens College Oxford each December where the Boar's head is displayed as its own carol resounds.
Ploughboys will drink a health to their decorated plough, cause a little mayhem, perform a traditional Molly dance before joining their ladies for a boisterous feast dance, and, of course, a Pantomime Dame, without which no English Christmas is complete.
All of this and more are woven together and Now Christmas is Come is to be presented for the seventh successive season by The Vancouver Folk Players. Performances this year take place on December 14, 15 and 16 at Presentation House in North Vancouver.
Presentation House is located at 333 Chesterfield Avenue in North Vancouver. For tickets or more information, call (604) 990-3474 or (604) 986-3078.
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