EXCLUSIVE

AN ANCIENT tradition that sees Santa kill a king was performed across Wokingham borough throughout the festive season.

The Yateley Mummers – aka Yateley Morris – took their traditional Mummers play to pubs, in Wokingham town centre on Thursday, December 20.

That was followed by a visit to The Queen’s Oak in Finchampstead and Yateley’s Dog and Partridge pub on Boxing Day.

And if that wasn’t enough, the team also made an appearance at The Cricketers in Hartley Wintney on New Year’s Day.

The play is a traditional Christmas custom that dates back several centuries and is a bit like a pantomime. It sees much silliness as Santa defeats the evil king.

The Queen’s Oak car park, where our photos were taken, was packed with people who turned out on Boxing Day for the noon performance, which saw a special guest appearance from Doctor Who and K9, and a display of morris dancing.

A note on the group’s website reads: “[It is] definitely growing as an event with a big friendly crowd, great mix of folk aficionados and curious passers by. “Dancing was of good quality from the start, possibly due to the ‘help’ provided by the TWO fools.”

There will be another chance to see the show on Sunday – Twelfth Night.

They will perform at The Frog and Wicket in Eversley Cross from 7.45pm, before hotfooting it to The Rose & Crown in Sandhurst’s High Street for 8.30pm. Optimistically, they plan to be at The Crooked Billet in Honey Hill for 9.15pm before a final show, at The Golden Retriever in Nine Mile Ride, Crowthorne at 10pm.

For more details, log on to yateleymorrismen.org.uk