LITTLE JOHN

BRITAIN celebrated the Bank Holiday in traditional style, by raiding the dressing-up box and/or getting completely bladdered. This column has a great fondness for fancy dress follies, so I was particularly drawn to the photo of a man dressed as an Oompa Loompa, puffing on a cigarette while making his way home from a good night out in Birmingham. The weekend also saw the annual Comic Con convention in London, featuring grown men and women togged up as cartoon characters and superheroes. Years ago, men visiting the seaside on Bank Holidays would wear nothing more elaborate than a knotted hanky. Nowadays, you can’t move for Spider-Men and assorted Star Wars lookalikes. Occasionally, this good clean fun spills over into violence and other inappropriate behaviour, especially after drink has been taken. Over the years I’ve brought you news of a brawl at a Doctor Who convention and a man dressed as Tigger discovered having sex in a public toilet with a woman in a leprechaun outfit. For some reason, these punch-ups often involve men dressed as Elvis. Last week in Poole, Dorset, police were called to an incident at a concert given by an Elvis impersonator. Four people were arrested. Apparently, Elvis fans clashed with theatregoers who had been attending a production of Thoroughly Modern Millie, based on the movie set in the Twenties and starring Julie Andrews. Just as well they weren’t in costume, too. I have visions of tipsy flappers delivering Charleston-style kicks, leaving the Elvis contingent with Black Bottoms. Bring on the Oompa Loompas!