From Weatherfield to Worship...

This weekend has been an odd one to say the least.  On Friday evening I accepted my friends invite to the Harrogate Theatre Studio to watch a one woman play called Deidre & Me, written and performed by Harrogate born actress Rachel Halliwell (pictured left).  All I had been told was that it was about the character Deidre Barlow of ITV’s Coronation Street.  Now Deidre is not one of my favourite characters in the soap, her turtle neck (and I don’t mean her jumper) turns me quite off, but with an open mind I sat in the small but packed Studio to watch.  And I loved it! The play was brilliant. It was funny yet moving and took a twist in the story I never expected. Attention to detail was great and references to local areas of Harrogate made it a very personal play that all the audience could relate to. The link gives an overview of the play and there is a video of rachel that you can watch too. http://www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk/page.aspx?parent=18aadf8c-40a3-46f7-bf6c-e960d786908e&showIdentifier=48e90aca-49e7-487f-be74-7af4c6190daf

Unfortunately, the play only ran for two nights in Harrogate but has been played from London to Edingburgh and I strongly recommend you go to see it should you ever get the chance. I think I found it more endearing because I’ve known Rachel since she was a little girl, and although I’ve not seen her for a few years I could still see the child in the woman. There’s hope for my little one yet!

Sunday morning was Church Parade for 16^th Harrogate Scout Group, http://www.16thharrogate.co.uk where my daughter is a Cub scout. Every second Sunday of the month, the uniformed group attends BAR Methodist Church and with my Mum, who is Baloo, I go too.  I must say Sunday service has changed somewhat since I was a Girl Guide and this Sunday we had a Lego re-enactment of the temptation of the Devil to Jesus in the wilderness and Cold Play was the backing for a mimed drama for one of the parables.  Audience participation is virtually compulsory and today we were shouting hoorays and cheering, then we were given pens and paper to draw our interpretation of God.  One little boy scribbled green pen all over a piece of paper until it was completely covered.  When the minister asked him what he had drawn he answered “it’s a picture of everywhere, as God is everywhere”. “Lovely” said the minster, “but why is it green?” “’cos God is Eco-friendly of course!” answered the boy. Welcome to the 21^st century.