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Pickle Night - 9th November 2024

‘Oh, What a Pickle…’

The PSYC Pickle Night Dinner started, where we left off last year, as the Battle of Trafalgar drew to a close.

With canons still blazing, Nelson, (Dave Fortey) lay dying, attended by his surgeon (Alison Bowie), and calling for Hardy who, on this occasion, was nowhere to be seen. Fortunately, Carole Haigh (MV:Thomas Hardy) was on hand to help, but alas, even a kiss from her was to no avail. Having given instructions for Collingwood to assume command and to send an urgent dispatch to the Admiralty detailing the Fleet’s success in battle, Nelson quietly (or rather not so quietly!) passed away.  

Following this sad scene, A toast of ‘Up Spirits’ was proposed by Madam Vice (Susan Scott) to signal the commencement of drinking; a somewhat symbolic gesture given that the ship’s company was already well into ‘the grog’. It did, however, have the miraculous effect of raising the ‘Ghost of Nelson’ so that Dave Forety could guide us masterfully through the evening’s ‘entertainment’.

 Assuming his new command, and reprising his role as Collingwood, John Heaton sent for his trusted officer, Lt Lapenotiere ( LA PEN OH TEA AIR …oh how that name got people in a pickle) to undertake the task.

Andy Cassels-Brown as the ‘first’ Lapenotiere, ‘sailed in’ on his fabulous domestically built ship, HMS Pickle. With dispatches in hand, he certainly set an engaging and humorous tone for the evening, navigating tempestuous seas in a way that any crew member onboard would be forgiven for feeling seasick.

David Jump as the ‘first’ Cdr. Sykes quickly became the pantomime ‘baddie’ in his self-imposed pursuit of Lapenotiere. With audience participation now firmly established, Lapenotiere and Sykes sailed through ‘confined’ and stormy waters, and set off, at pace, for England.

Arriving in Falmouth and Plymouth respectively, these gallant officers embarked on their own separate pub crawls across the south of England. At one point it seemed as if Cdr Sykes (David Jump) was never going to leave his drinking mates at the Leaky Dohw in Plymouth and had to be ushered on by Madam Vice.

Arriving at Crockernwell on his trusted ‘hobby horse’ steed, and having paid a good sum in chocolate coins, for new horses, refreshments and Premier Inn points, Andy Cassels-Brown decided he’d ‘done his bit’ and handed over the mantle of ‘being Lapenotiere’ to the landlord of the Astrid Arms (Derek Kalinski). The same went for Sykes who handed over to the landlady of Ye Olde Cognac Dreamboat in Exeter (Jane Newze).

And so, the pattern continued with ‘Team Lapenotiere’ continuing from Crockernwell to ‘Ye Olde Steam Tug’ in Blandford Forum (John Scott), and then onto ‘Ye Shaky Surgeon’ in Staines (Alison Bowie). Unfortunately, the landlord of ‘The Shaky Surgeon’ was absent with leave, but his good lady did a splendid job in his stead, and on his steed.

‘Team Sykes’ on the other hand, opted to ‘ride’ from Exeter to Ye Olde Bryher Barn in Salisbury (Deb King) and  onto ‘Ye Olde Blu Boat’ in Hounslow.

And then, just as  central London was in sight, the fog came down, (If it hadn’t already for many…) and the race was on, the last gallop to the Admiralty by Lapenotiere (now Alison Bowie) and Sykes (now John Heaton).

As history has recorded, Lapenotiere was the first to arrive at the Admiralty with the news of success at Trafalgar but sadly Nelson’s demise.

With some poetic licence, King George (Mark Bailey) resplendent in bejeweled crown, also happened to be there and handsomely rewarded Lapenotiere with more chocolate and a dwelling in Coverack Way. Meanwhile,  just a few yards away, it has to be said that Sykes (John Heaton) was ‘extremely surprised’ by the intervention of a good old London bobby (Paul Depper) who took great delight in impeding the success of Sykes in his mission impossible.

Somewhere in between all this fun and frivolity, I think we had something to eat, the start of which was signalled  by an amusing grace, delivered by Commodore, Gail Leaver.

We certainly remembered to toast the King and the Immortal Memory of Nelson.

And so, if you ever want to dress up like an 1805 sailor, watch grown men/women dance around in boats, ride  children’s hobby horses around the room, and negotiate with chocolate coins, where better to go than a PSYC Pickle Night.

‘Bravo Zulu’( well done) to everyone ; an evening to remember, and certainly one many of us won’t forget!

Susan