Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar

Subject: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Joe Offer
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 06:30 PM

Marriott Edgar was a prolific author of recitations, but his works are often attributed here to Stanley Holloway and others. I think we need a Marriott Edgar thread.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: GUEST
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 08:42 PM

https://allpoetry.com/Marriott-Edgar

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Mr Happy
Date: 14 Dec 20 - 09:11 PM

Hi again, Joe.

Here's a link to Make 'em Laugh/ Monologues with lots of material from Marriott Edgar et al.

http://www.monologues.co.uk/index2.htm

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 15 Dec 20 - 02:16 PM

Specialised in Biblical stories, historical and a character called Sam.

Best known on the English folk scene:
Battle of Hastings,
Magna Charter
Albert and the Lion
Sam and Noah (Three-apence a foot)

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 03:56 AM

I have saved a CD of Stanley Holloway recordings of Edgar Marriot monologues here

Many Happy Returns

Cheers

Dave

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Joe Offer
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 05:53 AM

Oooh! Oooh! Thanks, Dave.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: clueless don
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 07:29 AM

I first became acquainted with Mr. Edgar's work when I was at Cornell in the 70s. John and Tony appeared regularly, and Tony would usually do one of the recitations in a concert. Marvelous stuff!

I've been known to do a few of them myself, at storytelling gatherings. I'm still waiting for someone to object to me, a drawling American, putting on a Yorkshire accent.

Don

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 08:32 AM

I wouldn't worry about it, Don. Edgar was born in Scotland but of Lancastrian decent. Holloway was born a Londoner and the monologues are usually performed with a Lancashire accent :-D

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Long Firm Freddie
Date: 16 Dec 20 - 09:28 AM

A fine performance from the late Roy Hudd:

Albert and the Lion

LFF

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: clueless don
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 07:15 AM

My apologies - in my message (above), I meant to say a Lancashire accent!

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: GUEST,jag
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 01:35 PM

Steve Gardham said
Best known on the English folk scene:
Battle of Hastings,
Magna Charter
Albert and the Lion
Sam and Noah (Three-apence a foot)

I use to do "Albert and the Lion" on occasions when a 'turn' was required, with "The return of Albert" in reserve if someone else got in first.

Sometime in the 90's someone had a 'quiet word' to the effect that it was no longer regarded as appropriate to put on accents and mock the workers.

Like Mother I got 'proper blazing' and pointed out that it was my own accent and I grew up with among Ramsbottoms of this world who thought it was a hoot.

On reflection I suspect that my challenger was tarring Edgar/Holloway with the same brush as Flanders and Swann (where I would tend to agree with him)


Are Albert and Sam safe with the 'PC' crowd?

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 02:03 PM

I think the PC brigade could have a point. Some of the Albert and Biblical references portray working class people as being very mercenary when it comes to payment, which in itself is laughable when you consider the way the rich and powerful are ripping us off at the moment.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Joe Offer
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 03:34 PM

Here's Gunner Joe


Canute the Great

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: GUEST,jag
Date: 17 Dec 20 - 04:58 PM

I think it's largely a matter of how it was intended at the time, how it was taken by different audiences at the time, and the same two things now.

Was Sam, stubbornly holding out for three ha'pence a foot from Noah, a working class person being mercenary? An audience of factory workers might see him, a 'joiner and building contractor', as a hard-nosed local businessman.

The characters are comic caricatures and Stanley Holloway voiced the parts to gently poke fun at all of them. The Ramsbottoms (a genuine regional name but maybe one picked for humour) are voiced in a Lancashire accent but the zoo manager is 'mock posh'. In 'The Recumbent Posture' the doctor is poked fun at for using an unnecessary long words, the people who won't admit to ignorance are all shopkeepers and the one with letters after his name sounds pompous but isn't quite right.

I suspect Albert would go down fine in a Lancashire folk club (caricaturing our own) and in Yorkshire (taking the p*ss out of the neighbours). But what would be the perception in Surrey?

I guess my mistake was not knowing my audience.

Albert's stick probably came from the co-op, but that wouldn't scan.

Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Recitations from Marriott Edgar
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 18 Dec 20 - 02:08 AM

Apropos nothing at all, we pass Ramsbottom on our regular journey from our new home in Yorkshire to our old one in Lancashire. As it is in a valley I always think it is a pity that it was not divided into the lower and upper parts. Then, when asked where they live, some people could reply "Upper Ramsbottom"

:D tG