Rottingdean Windmill was host to the Wilde Volk exhibition this weekend – a display of masked, often animalistic figures in folklore. So who better to perform at its opening than the Hognutters Mummers, with their traditional “give us money or booze or we will beat you up” play of death and rebirth, and pig costumes aplenty.
Jo Burke, founder of the Brighton Folk Choir, often performs alongside the Hognutters as the witch doctor character Wise Nan Holt. With Jo on school holidays, The Highchurches stepped in – with Martha taking on the wise woman role, and the rest of us hanging out with some other folk choir regulars to play instruments and sing.
You can watch the full mummers play – shorn of our opening procession and song, in which we go through each character in pretty comprehensive detail to the tune of The Pace-Egging Song – in the YouTube link below.
It was an incredible and very beautiful evening, a great spot for a gig, and a lovely time all around. Thanks so much to Jo Goddard and all the Hognutters for having us.
jamesofwalsh 