The free matinee showing of The Greatest Show on Earth, a film of aspiration and fantasy, was a joyful event. As usual the organising staff pulled out all the stops to give us a memorable afternoon at the circus. Dolly Delicious, tall and slender on her stilts outside the entrance, performed her fire eating and body burning to the delight of the large assembling audience and obligingly posed for photos and selfies. Once inside we were welcomed to the cinema by the Ringmaster, showmen and artistes aka Eugene, Karen, Kevin, Hazel, Tania, Anne and Rachel, who always throw themselves wholeheartedly into the spirit of the current film. A short two minute film featuring the Nursery School working at Sunnyside Hall on weekdays was the only sombre side of the proceedings as two of the staff made a plea for financial aid in view of the recent government fund cutting which leaves the school underfunded to an unsustainable degree. At the end of the afternoon, on the way out, there was a bucket collection for the Nursery. The many children and their Mums knew all the songs in the main feature and I suspect didn't even need the words so conveniently projected at the bottom of the screen having seen the film, as they told us, at least twice before. It was heart warming to hear the children joining in and even doing a bit of dancing in the aisles at the end.I wasn't able to stay and join the discussion group on this occasion but I deduced from the audience participation that most people enjoyed this film. Sonia
Almost a record turnout of 102 enjoyed this season's matinee freeby. Thanks must go to the National Lottery whose 'cinema day' umbrella this came under as they funded the event in large part. After much internal struggle the videographer screened a short film suitable for young and old alike, and certainly themed to match the main film, as we watched a 15 minute behind the scenes view of the making of The Greatest Showman. Despite ending at 5.30pm on a Sunday the hall was cleared, cleaned and made ready for the Nursery next morning. As Sonia mentioned, the Holding Hands Nursery were our chosen charity (something we do on all free film days) and they secured an additional £100 in cash and promised on the day to combat the competing demands of current legislation and restricted Government funding. We wish them well. Eugene