LETTER: ‘Snow White and the Seven Ex-Jockeys’

If a party political broadcast appears on my television, I switch it off! Now I find myself doing the same thing with the letters’ page, metaphorically speaking. I just turn over the page and hope something more interesting will appear there. By more interesting, I mean something written by a “normal” local resident about “normal” things that have happened or are happening in the local towns. It doesn’t have to be extreme, no asteroids hitting Crown Point or shipwrecks on the Straight Mile, just ordinary things about ordinary people. I love the letters from people who have seen a show or a school play and are expressing how much they enjoyed it - or not! Likewise, I enjoy reading letters from people who have been shown acts of kindness and are expressing their gratitude. These are genuine and tell us something.

Actually, I went to see a school play a couple of weeks ago at Padiham Primary School. It was called – wait for it- “Snow White And The Seven Ex-Jockeys”. The play/musical was performed by Year 6 (this year’s leavers) and the choir was made up of five singers. Everyone there, performers, teachers and audience seemed to enjoy the unusual slant on a well-loved fairy tale.

There was some very talented dancing from Snow White and a wonderful interpretation of the mirror. But do you know what I loved best? The trees! Five of them. Like Wordsworth’s daffodiles, fluttering and dancing in the breeze! I just loved them. One of them though, was the best tree anyone could ever hope to see. Even if you travelled to the Black Forest, you would never find one to match it!

The fact he is my grandson has absolutely nothing to do with this observation.

ELLEN, PADIHAM