Mummers & Masks: about Mummering in NL & Ireland is on Bravo TV   www.bravo.ca/SCHEDULE/
> Channel 35 Rogers in NL from 9:30 - 10:30 tonight (Sun.)  Chris Brookes
> show.  People in Newfoundland, Ireland, England, and Philadelphia
> celebrate Newfoundland Christmas dressed in masks and costumes. Anita
> Best narrates - lovely!!!!!   Mummers & Masks (E) 2002 Documentary about the wild festivities associated with a Newfoundland Christmas, with emphasis on grassroots music and performance.

Dec 8 10:00 AM EST 11:30 am NL
Dec 20 11:00 PM EST 12:30 am NL Mummers & Masks (E) 2002
Dec 21 7:00 AM EST 8:30 NL Mummers & Masks (E) 2002
Dec 24 5:00 PM 6:30 PM NL Mummers & Masks (E) 2002

Oh man! Have we got Mummers! Like no other you've ever seen!

http://www.geocities.com/hallettfan/mummers2004.html

Anne

I got some mumming in today!  English style (VERY broadly defined), putting on a short, extremely violent and simultaneously extremely silly antique play.  First I was St. Patrick and killed some guy who threatened my friend St. George, then gave St. George grief for killing 3 more, and ran off while he scared up a doctor to bring them back to life.  I ditched my battered green hat, and put on an even more beat-up sequined bra.  Then I was Old Bet, wife of Father Christmas, who killed ME for not cooking the hare he'd caught the way he liked.  (This is weeeeeird stuff, yes?)  But the doc woke ME up (and I even appropriated his magic medicine to wake the hare up, but that wasn't in the script) and we all sang Joy to the World.  We all loused up our lines, made stuff up, giggled when we were supposed to be dead, and had a grand old time.  And a couple of us didn't even get killed once!

Love, Columbine 

Columbine - I want pics & video!!!!! 

 Anne, I did see the mummers - went to NYC for a month (from ~ Dec 6 - Jan 6) & specifically took a bus to Philly for the Mummers Parade on New Years Day (because of the NL Connection)  - seemed like it was 12 hrs or more.  My bottom was sore & cold from my concrete perch - I didn't realize how good the floats were that won.  Seems to me it was a float that opened up & Batman Car drove out.  + Oh them golden slippers - hundreds of times!!!!!  Yup - You got mummers.  If you hear of any live video feeds or TV shows that are live on the web, can youlet me know.  I'd like to check it out again.  PS: On my trip I also enjoyed the Philadelphia Art Gallery & the Barnes Museum & some of the historical sites - that was the year that the federal govt ran out of money & closed the historical attractions - I was partway thr a tour when that happened & when I was in NYC, they even closed the Statue of Liberty for lack of wampum. 

eaststj -- Was in St John's right after Christmas last year and my friends there were all set to go full out mummering on my behalf, but the blizzards came and our plans were dashed.  But we made the best of it with some rum and some music!  Love the Philadelphia parade -- if I'm nearby this year, maybe that's in the cards! 

and oh geez, I remember when our gov't shut down:( 

eaststj - one of these days we're going to have somebody video a performance, but we haven't gotten our act together yet.  It never ceases to amaze me that an activity called mumming - whether Newfoundland, Philly, or English style - is so noisy!

Love, Columbine