After I was almost weeping with laughter last night, literally blinded by tears of hilarity, I thought how rarely I laugh like that these days – I still laugh a lot, I’m always having a chuckle about something, laughing in a restrained, controlled way… I’m a happy person, and lucky to be so… but that helpless, uncontrollable laughing, that doesn’t seem to happen so often… and luckily, nor does the uncontrollable, embarrassingly unstoppable giggling. That used to happen to me in staff meetings, and it was… embarrassing! The more I tried to control myself, the worse it got – my boss would be saying ‘Why is she laughing? What’s so funny? What is she laughing at? Will someone please tell me?” I think the others might have been laughing too, but no as haplessly and helplessly as me.
It’s something I inherit from my mum – her sister was a terrible giggler too – their dad, my granddad used to get so cross when they were girls sitting at table… and I think my grandma might have had the giggle gene too. I escaped my mum’s other sister, she would laugh and smile and be jolly, but the uncontrollable hilarity… that never rendered her to a heap of splutters, wheezes, tears and chuckles.
So why was I so convulsed last night? Why were my sides split? I went to see the latest production from the Bleadon Players, the local amateur dramatics group. Bleadon is a small village only a mile or so away, and their drama group produce the most fantastic shows… and last night’s topped all their previous performances. It was their thirtieth anniversary show, and they shared three one act plays… one of which, the best, was written by a writing friend – such a talented person, such a great writer. Her hilarious play was matched by some excellent acting… I can’t say more as the run hasn’t finished, but luckily I am going to see it again tonight! – I can’t wait!!
