The JSA Christmas party on December 13 was a rousing success , and bypopular demand will become an annual fixture in the Johnsonian calendar.More than 40 members and guests came to the party, and the English SpeakingUnion provided an excellent venue. Members rallied superbly to the callfor contributions to the feast and an extraordinary variety of comestiblesensured adequate material recruitment. There was enough to eat, too!
Carla Hawley and Bronwen Hickman provided a touch of 18th Century authenticityby arriving in period dress - Carla wearing an elaborate formal gown withfull hooped skirt, for which she had to be given a wide berth in movingthrough the throng. Bronwen was in a more demure, but beautiful outfit,including a lace cap.
Clive Probyn, Nick Hudson and Bryan Reid, appearing respectively asDr Johnson, Sir Joshua Reynolds and Edward Gibbon, gave a reading of apastiche by Reynolds which invented two separate dialogues with Gibbonand Reynolds, in which Johnson argues vehemtly against Garrick's claimsto fame and then just as vehemently in favor of them.
But the highlight of the party was the music, first the string quartet,and then the carol singing, for which Merrowyn Deacon provided the professionalaccompaniment and musical guidance, with Carla and Gordon Hawley leadingthe singing, in which everyone joined.