Crookham Mummers Play 2024
In a world that sometimes seems like it has gone mad, at least you can rely on the Crookham Mummers Play. They've been entertaining people for generations.
The Crookham Mummers Play is one of England's greatest and most continuous traditions. The play is performed each Boxing Day (December 26th) in Crookham Village, near Fleet, in Hampshire. It was first performed in the village around 1880 by men who worked at the Crondall Pottery and the Hale Gravel Pitts. During Christmas, they could not get work or pay and in the days before benefits, went mumming to make ends meet.
Although the script is much older and was probably borrowed from a nearby village. In all then it is probably 300 years old.
The play lasts about 20-25 minutes. In it King George, England’s hero battling his adversaries, Bold Slasher, Bold Roamer and the fearsome Turkish Knight. The adversaries battle away with using wooden swords which usually break during the fierce fighting. If that sounds dangerous, old photos show the team using Boer War helmets and metal swords! Local historian Ted Roe in his book about old fleet and crookham, says in the 1920's:
"On Boxing Day the Mummers toured the streets, dressed in coats and hats decorated with paper. They performed their traditional little comic play in the streets, the large houses and the public houses; they were plied with Christmas fare and given a few pence. At the end of the day they were all in a very festive mood and their evening performances were riotous." Over the Christmas season, mummers could earn up to £8 each, worth about £650 in today's money.
The play also includes a Doctor who has gruesome yet comic miracle cures, Johnny Jack, a sailor from the press gang, and Father Christmas. Thankfully, if this sounds a bit confusing the play is performed outside of three local pubs, so you can have a drink whilst you mull over the meaning.
With dramatic action, slap stick, jokes and colourful costumes, the play is great fun for all the family to watch. In addition to the basic script, topical jokes and adlibs ensure no two performances are quite the same.
If it is wet, the performers often end up drenched in water, having been made to lie in puddles.
Long-time Mummer, Keith Woolley says:
“Historic records and recollections of old performers confirm that the Crookham Mummers plays could be quite rowdy so we are proud to continue in the style that was set by our predecessors. It is a bit like a pantomime crossed with wrestling - plenty of goodies to cheer and baddies to boo."
Mummers Teams were once plentiful in the north East Hampshire Area with teams at: Crondall, Odiham, Ewshot, Eversley, Yateley, Old Basing, Overton, Andover and Long Parish.
The plays are not always appreciated - During the 1920's and 30's the Overton Mummers would walk 10 miles to Sutton Scotney Mansion, where the Butler would have their payment ready but tell them a performance was "not required".
Crookham Mummers now have some of the biggest crowds for mummers plays anywhere in the UK.
You can watch the play in Crookham Village outside The Exchequer at 12 noon, The Spice Merchant at 12.45pm, The Crescent Green at 1.30pm and in Dogmersfield outside The Queens Head at 2pm.
Keith adds: “Going to see the Mummers is the perfect way to get a bit of exercise, have a drink, have a laugh and share in a community spirit and a sense of history. While it is free to watch, we are delighted that all donations will go to Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice Care."
Phyllis Tuckwell is the only Hospice Care service for adult patients, and their families, across the whole of West Surrey and part of North East Hampshire. For many patients living with a terminal illness, Phyllis Tuckwell is a way to get the most appropriate care in the last phase of life. They provide care at the Hospice in Farnham (currently Camberly), at the Beacon Centre in Guildford, in patients’ own homes and in the community.
For further information contact Keith Woolley
Phone: 07900 227344 Email: samandkeith@icloud.com
Post Scriptum for Editors
The Crookham Mummers are one of the longest running Mummers plays in the world. They have appeared in numerous books on folk customs, on ITV, BBC, Radio 4, at the Sidmouth International Folk Festival and are widely recognised by experts as the most authentic Mummers in the raucous “outdoor” tradition. The play has been performed since in the village almost every year since 1870, although its origins are much older.
Phyllis Tuckwell receives just 20% of it funding from the Government/NHS - the rest is from fundraising and donations. For more information about Phyllis Tuckell Hospice visit https://www.pth.org.uk/.