It was that time of year when Serpentine swimmers drop their swimming kits and without any false modesty, strut their best stuff on the stage at the SOLD OUT Serppentine SC Christmas Party. The 2016 crop were assuredly the best team of talent ever to hit the London stage.
Some had clearly invested time in rehearsal, some squeezed by having dropped the 're' and getting by with just the 'hearsal' , while others diced artistic death with hearse-like performances; but despite all, the sell-out crowd wanted more.
"Encore" the audience roared, as the incredibly talented and good looking performers received a standing ovation from the full house who had paid good money to enjoy an evening of sophisticated London entertainment twinned with fine dining and fizzy pop.
And enormous amount of gratitude to Neil Drinkwater and his Red Stripe Band who made us all look stunningly talented. And to Norm and Lorraine who steered us all through a splendid evening.
The acts were as follows:
1 The Serpentine Choir: with a swimming version of Molly Malone
2 Raden Topo Wresniwiro: The story of left and right
3 Cselko Girls Strings: The Three Stroke Trio
4 David McGregor Saxophone: Stranger on the Shore
5 Alison and Leslie Du Cane From Paris to Windmill End - Alison sang I Love Paris (Cole Porter) Leslie sang The Slow Train by Flanders and Swann
6 Graham Buckle "The People said sit down" from Guys & Dolls
7 Robin HC Flute - Bist Du Bei Mir by JS Bach
8 Gordon Brody: Musings and fine poetry
9 George Cselko: The Boar's Head Tavern
10 Yvonne Huel: Falling in love - Marlene Dietrich old wartime song
11 Max Hodgkinson: Balls, sticks and spinny things
12 John Tierney: I've found hapenis thanks to Ray Jessel
George Cselko delivered these lines from King Henry IV Part 1.
“I know you all, and will awhile uphold
The unyoked humour of your idleness.
Yet herein will I imitate the sun,
Who doth permit the base contagious clouds
To smother up his beauty from the world,
That when he please again to be himself,
Being wanted, he may be more wondered at
By breaking through the foul and ugly mists
Of vapours that did seem to strangle him.
If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work;
But when they seldom come, they wished-for come,
And nothing pleaseth but rare accidents.
So, when this loose behaviour I throw off
And pay the debt I never promisèd,
By how much better than my word I am,
By so much shall I falsify men’s hopes;
And like bright metal on a sullen ground,
My reformation, glitt’ring o’er my fault,
Shall show more goodly and attract more eyes
Than that which hath no foil to set it off.
I’ll so offend to make offence a skill,
Redeeming time when men think least I will.”
Huge thanks to Norm and Lorraine's helpers.
Main meal: Tamlyn, Rupert, Theo,
Desserts: Linda and John Luckhurst
Ticket sellers: George and Robin
Stage Manager: Chris Hatcher
Showcase manager: Alice Todd
Serps choir master: Katherine Cselko
Raffle: Jo, George, Flora, Rob
Decorations Stu & Debs Bowman, Liz Hurst, Nora Fowler
Bar Stewards: Deirdre & Mike Ward, Mark Faure Walker
Designated Drinkers: Eliza, Linda Paxton, Vanessa Mavra
Post Truth Text: John Tierney
This Clubs got reality show celebrity X Factor The Voice Fame Academy Big Brother Castaway Krypton Factor Golden Globe BAFTA Oscar SERPENTINE TALENT
