Well.. January's dank, cheerless sky hangs like one of Mrs O'Flaherty's filthy dish cloths over The Grymoire Observatory and sulks. The last of the Yuletide fripperies has long been tossed unceremoniously into its cardboard box and launched, courtesy of Mr Chives' rheumatic shoulder, into the attic. Here it will spend another year languishing with its fellows among the stuffed animals, back issues of 'Look and Learn' and those nicknacks and curios deemed by Mr Scott to be too disturbing even for the eerie corridors beneath. The stricken garden, all rot and lank tendrils, is brightened only by the occasional, listless robin pausing to tug half heartedly at a filthy worm in the dormant borders and not even a breeze stirs the dreadful, denuded poplars near the stinking moat.
But this supine, sepulchral scene belies a feverish effort! Deep in the vaulted cellars Mr Shillaker and Mr Scott are making final preparations for their annual jamboree at Colchester's prestigious Headgate Theatre on the 29th of January! The Hostess Trolley of Occult Significance has been tempted away from its endless sinister trundling with the promise of new castors and is being generously loaded with delicious cakes and pastries. Mrs O'Flaherty, a stiff brush grasped firmly in her beefy, chapped mitt, is vigorously scrubbing Mr Scott's organ to bring out the beautiful, rich grain whilst the grateful maestro, whistling a jaunty refrain, polishes his maracas with a lint free cloth. In a nearby alcove under a ten watt bulb Mr Shillaker is brushing fluff from his battered fez and Phillip the Anxious Homunculus smokes furiously, bites his nails and mutters. All is nearly set for the Observatory's biggest night of the year! Make haste, therefore, to The Headgate Theatre Colchester for an evening of nonsense, nincompoopery and nibbles! Of contraptions, contrivances and incorporeal caper! Don't miss out! The last few tickets are available from the Headgate Theatre box office on 01206 366000 - get yours for only £7/£6 concs! starts 8pm!
