Romany Night 2024 - The Cabaret comes to Surrey!
June celebrates Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History, and the Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities Forum have run “Romany Day” since 2005, but for this year, they decided to run a cabaret-style evening called “Romany Night.”
So for 2024 it was curtains up at 6pm on the 15th of June 2024, to the tune of Life is a Cabaret!
The stage was filled with a whole array of the finest Community talent, and the host for the night was none other than Jake Bowers, who came suited and booted, ready to introduce the acts and tell a few funnies along the way – and yes Jake does have a sense of humour under that serious journalistic side, you will just have to trust me on that one!
Or perhaps you could ask Jake's beautiful wife Claire, who Jake helped to lure to the stage, whilst professional circus performer Missy McCarbre, in character as a French Artist, painted a rather interesting but nevertheless funny portrait of her with a paint brush tucked up the artist's nose! This was just one of the brilliant characters that Missy McCarbre brought to life, who one minute had the audience laughing and next gasping when she performed by laying on a bed of nails and machetes.
Country singer and all-round nice guy Mr Billy Pidgley, took the audience through a journey of songs; from UB40, Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley and Garth Brooks. Taking requests from the crowd he remained unfazed and sung like a dream and kept the house rocking, having banter with the guests and getting them to join the sing along, whilst Dee Cooper kept him on his toes with the next request! Billy delivered exquisite performances time after time. He later performed a stunning duet with country singer Emily-Jane who delivered a floorless rendition of “Islands in the Stream”.
Next up was Gypsy jazz singer Florence Joelle, accompanied by Dave Wilson on guitar and John Davis on steel guitar, who gave us original songs such as ‘Gypsy Boy” and “Turn to Dust” and followed it up with a Russian Romany song “Dark Eyes,” the “Caravan” by Duke Ellington, and Peggy Lees “Fever,” but Florence performed that in her French native tongue.
The audience were then taken on the personal Journeys of the ladies from “Write into Culture”; a Gypsy, Roma and Traveller women’s writing group, founded by Lisa Smith and Dee Cooper, with prose, memoir and monologues of their personal lived experiences and battles through discrimination and standing up for what’s right! Guests where in awe of these brave and inspirational ladies, whose words helped to provide insight and raise awareness about what it is like to be a Romany or Traveller woman.
With titles such as “Identity and Womanhood” by Chelsea McDonagh, “One less Gypsy” by Dolly, “Daiya bird” by Lisa smith, “Those days” by BB, and “No Gypsies served here” by Dee Cooper. Two recordings also echoed the room with the sweet Tennessee tones of Amanda ball “The soothing cracks of Highway 51” and natural born storyteller Katie Bruce with her captivating story “Under the vardo”. Truly a powerhouse!
This was followed by a guest appearance from community member Rueben, who seemed to shock the audience that boys from the community also go through bullying in school as he read his piece “I’m not jeling to school today”! There was a massive round of applause from an emotional audience.
We also heard from local organisations such as the Mary Frances Trust (for mental health), the ABC- Alliance for better care, Surrey Police and Surrey’s End Stigma
We also heard from Romany campaigner and author Genty Lee about her new book “The Mystery in being a Gypsy” and John Hockley represented The Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities’ Forum, who put on this wonderful event, organised and directed by Dee Cooper and supported by Nikki Parkhill and Cheryl wood, with the hall beautifully decorated by Katy Marney, and our boys in the lighting box!
But that’s not all…
A cabaret wouldn’t be a cabaret without a few well sung Musicals, the room quickly rose to their feet in not one but two standing ovations, when they heard the beautiful sounds and depth of the stunning voice of Mr Johnny Doherty who sung “The Music of the Night” from the Phantom of the Opera, and then later Frank Sinatra’s “My Way”.
A tasty buffet was provided, and mounds of doughnuts supplied, our delightful servers for the evening Nell and Masie Bowers helped to make sure everyone was fed and watered.
Later they took up the role of drawing and colouring with our younger members. There were a mix of guests from both GRT Communities and non-GRT communities.
We also welcomed the Deputy Mayor Robert leach and Mayoress, we were also joined by last year’s Mayor Robert Geleit and the Mayoress.
The night ended on a High, when The Mckenna Bruce family, parents to Romany Bafta Award winner Mia-McKenna Bruce requested the song “Sweet Caroline” where both audience and performers danced and sang along together passing the mic.
Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities' Forum would like to thank their sponsors:
Bourne Hall
Dee Cooper
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner
Surrey Community Action
Surrey County Councillors
Surry County Council
Surrey Police
Thank you all for your support Happy GRTHM 2024 from all at Surrey Gypsy Traveller Communities' Forum.
© Dee Cooper for the Travellers' Times
(Top photograph: Missy McCarbre. Photograph by Eszter Halasi)
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