Hamlet, Act 2 Scene 2, William Shakespeare.
All puppet photos are used by permission from The Fetch Theatre, www.thefetch.co.uk, with thanks!
Well, it certainly wasn’t what I expected. When the grandsons invited us to a puppet show I prepared myself for a bunch of hand puppets bashing each other, Punch-and-Judy style. Instead, in jaw-dropping awe I witnessed exquisitely crafted models portraying the fables and music of our area, stories hardly ever recounted elsewhere – inviting me into a whole new world of the place we’ve been living in for years.
But there’s more. At the end of the production, after a human-driven albatross with a 30-foot wingspan soared and flapped around the auditorium, the lights went up. We found that we were no longer strangers to each other. We were bonded together because of our common experience in one room. We had become an intimate community. This doesn’t happen with screen-watching at home.
It was so refreshing, just to be wrapped up for this moment into a tale told in a darkened room, that left at the door everyone’s fragility, disability, dementia, age, future, and worries– exquisite genius of creativity and story, bonding strangers together to marvel and be healed.
This is why live theatre is so critical to the human being. May we all campaign for its rejuvenation, its ability to bring us beauty, strength, and story in the times to come. It is imperative for restoring us back to life. After deadening months of stagnant isolation, bless you, Fetch Theatre (www.thefetch.co.uk) for reminding me of this.
No knead Dinner Rolls.
We were delighted when friends dropped by for lunch, so I baked these to go with the soup. They are easy to make. They are best eaten as soon as they come out of the oven. Makes 12 fat ones.
Yeast, 1 tablespoon, soaked in 4 tablespoons water, or added to dry ingredients, depending on your choice of yeast.
Butter, 4 tablespoons, Salt, 1 1/4 teaspoons, Sugar, 2 tablespoons in another bowl. Add 1 cup (8 ozs, 23 ml) hot water to melt the butter. When cool, beat in 1 egg and the yeast mixture. .
Now beat in enough flour (and the yeast if it doesn’t have to be soaked first) to make a soft dough. Let rise until double — that means if you poke your finger into it, the hole remains.
Shape into 12 balls and place into well-greased muffin cups. Let rise again, until a gentle touch makes a dent.
Place in a cold oven, turn temperature to 425f, or 200c and bake for 15 minutes, or until nicely browned. Serve with lots of butter!
food that builds community 
The play sounds wonderful Judy and those puppets look amazing! You’re absolutely right; gathering together in a dimly lit room to enjoy some theatrical story-telling is just what we need to combat these recent isolating times. Much love to you and your family xx
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Thanks for this reply — it’s so important to the human being. We’re scheduled to go to a concert this week….am teetering on going/not going because of the recent news.
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