Followed by the magic of moonlight swim.
By Clare Marshall, FoPL Vice Chair.
Twas the 3rd night of Twelfth Night and the 12th night of July..
Despite the rain early evening a good size audience arrived carrying umbrellas, chairs, blankets, waterproofs, hats, scarfs and gloves. Who would have thought it is mid July…it was cold wet and pretty dismal for Summer. We were beginning to think rain would stop play but around 7.30pm the rain miraculously stopped and the performance started.
Some two and half hours later and another great performance from the Mask cast and crew was complete.
There was something different about this evening. As the theatre area emptied out a new group of lido visitors had arrived and were already in the water. Audience members, who had booked the combined swim and theatre ticket soon joined them
What a fabulous way to end a theatre performance… with a moonlight swim directly after the show! As soon as the play was over the pool became alive with “late night swimmers”. Off came the coats, scarves, gloves and waterproofs, required earlier, and on went a variety of swimwear to suit the occasion.
The sound of nervous anticipation and excited laughter suddenly filled the air as the first few swimmers ventured into the water.
“There is definitely something quite magical about swimming as it gets dark” one swimmer told me, as she stepped into the water. Meanwhile at the other end of the pool two young lads were straight in with superb dives. Definitely a meeting of several generations, all with one thing in common…the desire to swim in the open air in the lido.
As midnight crept in, once again, the heavens opened and it rained quite heavily. But anyone who swims outdoors will tell you that swimming in the rain can be so very refreshing and an experience not to be missed.
So what a perfect ending to a perfect evening of Shakespeare followed by a magical moonlight swim. As people were dressing and leaving they could be heard saying “when can we do this again?“ or “this would be great as a weekly Friday night event”
