Aberdeen Books & Crafts Evening of Poetry and Music
Congratulations to Aberdeen Books and Crafts a.k.a Peter and Sue Shaw on the wonderfully enjoyable evening which they presented to the Aberdeen community on Thursday 28th October 2010. Profits of the evening, being R3660.00 are to be presented to the Aberdeen Hospital in the form of a wish list devised by Matron Nomhle Nkeleni-Ndaba.
Many members of the Aberdeen community assisted Peter and Sue in making the evening successful, enjoyable and of the highest of standards. Sponsors in Aberdeen and Graaff-Reinet were generous in their donations of prizes for raffles, lucky programme and ticket draws. Loan of equipment and time spent by the local community in making this a memorable event, was much appreciated by the Shaws.
Gaye Day and Marian van Staden
In typical Sue Shaw way, everything was well organized from “front of door” which was manned by Ian and Daniela Hamblin to seating arrangements assisted by Sandra Bowker.
Daniela and Ian Hamblin with Sandra Bowker
The hall at the Aberdeen Club was arranged to seat approximately seventy people and it was filled to capacity, represented by all the local communities. The colour theme of the show was black and white, and progammes, table settings, candles and flowers with table napkins decorated with red sparkles added to the ambiance. The tables each seating eight, formed a circle around the reading area which composed of a raised dais supporting a lectern, a standing lamp an elegant white chair and silver candelabra.
Keith and Maureen Mc Andrew
The evening began with poetry readings by Peter Shaw, Denise Weldon, Christa Beyers and Marius Frazenburg, who for a brief moment took on the persona of 007. Each poem read was accompanied by a slide show of the poet and brief anecdotes of the poet’s life. Some anecdotes were sad, some amusing and some were best forgotten! The poetry of William Wordsworth, Robert Burns and C Louis Leipoldt were a few poets whose works were read, while William Blake was described as a 18th century hippie, who was a forerunner of the 60’s and of the works of Bob Dylan and Bob Morrison. The slide show was skillfully managed by Jonathan Bowker who also used accompanying music to highlight the poetry read.
Denise Weldon reading a poem by William Blake - The Lamb
Marius reading Expensive Ekstratjie by Peter Snyders
A musical interlude by the Quintet from the New Apostolic Church followed the readings. Here, Tchar Tchar, La Donna e Mobile, Valse by Chopin and How Beautiful Are Thy Feet by Handel were beautifully presented by Roberto de Jager (horn), Esteline de Jager (flute), Desvaline Coetzee (violin), Vinchenzo de Jager 10 years of age (violin) and Nelson Joubert (clarinet).
Desvaline Coetzee, Vinchenzo de Jager, Esteline de Jager, Nelson Joubert and Roberto de Jager
Poetry readings were then resumed by among others Shelagh Miller Woods, Maureen Mac Andrew and Sandra Bowker who was most amusing in the reading of Warning by Jenny Joseph.
Dinner served to all those attending was the usual scrumptious meal cooked by David Miller, Toesie Slabbert and Colleen Ogilvie.
Two poems read by Peter Shaw after dinner, and which need special mention were The Highwayman by Alfred Noyes and Do Not Go Gentle by Dylan Thomas. These two poems were full of pathos and brought a sense of deep emotion which poetry can instill.
Petro Marx and Almarie Gericke then sang a musically enjoyable rendition of Who Painted the Moon Black and Streets of London, to which song many of the audience sang along.
The fun part of the evening was initiated by Sue Shaw in the reading of ABC by Spike Milligan, and Be Glad Your Nose by Jack Prelutsky read by Nomhle Nkeleni-Ndaba. Here Nomhle had everyone standing miming actions in time to the amusing dialogue.
Be Glad Your Nose read by Nomhle
The surprise and delight was an Afrikaans poem written especially for the event by Tineke Anderson titled simply Aberdeen. Here Tineke gave her reasons for loving the Karoo and for being in Aberdeen, and the gratitude she feels for all the richly different facets of the life lived in this small Karoo town.
Aberdeen written and read by Tineke Anderson
The finale of the evening gave rise to much mirth, sustained clapping and a demanding encore. John Weldon, Peter Shaw and Marius Frazenburg gave their rendition of a Gilbert and Sullivan opera, singing ‘Three Little Maids Are We’. Dressed in costumes which were composed of garden hats, kimonos, Chinese scarves and with fluttering fans, they twirled and whirled, and brought the house down!!
Gilbert and Sullivan performed by John Weldon, Peter Shaw and Marius Frazenburg
On behalf of the Aberdeen Hospital the Matron Nomhle Nkeleni-Ndaba and the Hospital Board, Professor Orlando Meyers thanked the Aberdeen Books and Crafts for instituting and organizing this benefit, the Aberdeen community who came together in assisting and making the evening possible, and to all those who attended and gave so generously.
Peter And Sue Shaw
Once again well done to Peter and Sue Shaw, hopefully this will become a yearly Aberdeen event.
Comments On The Poetry And Music Evening
I enjoyed everything and loved every poem, this evening was delightful and I would like to see this event become annual. - Motasha Nonnie.
Lovely to travel down memory lane through all that poetry - Rita van Niekerk.
It was fantastic. I enjoyed it and hope that there would be something like this again soon. Thank you - Aden Esau
Article By: Joan Tinker
