Wednesday 13th April 2011
Robert Nevil’s got it now – the great biographer of the Pony Club. He’s been given two days by the Graph to do 1000 words on ‘Some Delightful Pony Breeds’. He will research, so it takes much longer than strictly necessary. He ought to phone up Val, that brilliantly fantastical PLRG, keen on a drop, who would introduce some previously unknown varieties of pony there and then. You can be sure of it – ‘The Sedgeland Heliotrope’, for instance, or ‘The Brent Cross Piebald Washer’. In the dreary afternoons of costume making, years ago, Val used to make up names for ladies’ stocking colours, with a wig-maker friend, since fallen out with – American Corpse, Caca de Dauphin and Bar Mitzvah Red, but that was a hair dye.
We must fight to save this supremely fragile Poor Little Rich Gay, Robert Nevil, who has also, wraque de nerve, as the French say, clicked on the wrong button. So we’re not going to the Terry Ratty play (no idea what it is, but he’s all the rage at the moment) at the Haymarket this evening, but this afternoon.
A matinee!
I haven’t been to a matinee since 1981 and that was by special arrangement, free tickets from the designer of the Michael Frayn effort – even then, you see, in at the top.
My own nerves have subsided a little. Yesterday at last I got the dusters washed but, would you believe it, I left out the drawing room one, so I’ve got that in soak now. Matching up that kitchen floor colour isn’t going so well. I put too much indigo in. I’m aiming for a yellowy grey. Will have to start again. I think maybe I need crome green not sap green. Can’t even remember if there is such a thing as crome green.
But I do love the names of the colours. Haven’t been involved with them for years, so thrilled to be amongst them again.
I haven’t a thing to wear for Rome. I haven’t mentioned it, have I? I board for Rome on Friday. I think I’m going to try and spot clean those risotto stains from my Paul and Joe tweedy slacks, despite risk of tide marks from the cleaning fluid – but in daylight to be sure of finding them. There’s just no time for Jeeves of Belgravia and the expense!
The slacks are light wool – perfect for mid-Spring in Rome. No rushing into summer clothes, even there, absolutely not.
And Rome is dressy, in my view.
This matinee catastrophe – we will embroider it. Maybe we’ll have matineé jackets – what are they? Or a matinee tray. That’s tea served at your seat. And I’m going to go round by Harvey Nicks first to amount an assault for my money back on those ripped Balenciaga slacks. I showed them to the tailor yesterday and he was outraged.
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Dear Adrian Edge
You may have been wrong about shorts, but you are right about matinee trays at the Haymarket. My mother and I went to see a Sherlock Holmes play there one afternoon in the late 1970s. During the interval we were served tea on a tray at our seats. It was lovely. I think the custom has since died, but do let us know if it survives.
Afterwards my mother took me to the under-ground sherry bar on Villiers Street, which she probably oughtn’t to have done.
Nicky T
you only go to matinees in royal wedding years of future UK monarchs?
Why, what happened there, Nicky?
I cannot remember. You must not press me on this. It was very West End.
I wonder if it was ‘Waters of the Moon’ by N.C. Hunter, a sub-Chekov masterpiece, installed for generations at the Theatre Royal Haymarket
How brilliantly spotted!
I’ve got it wrong! You already said it was a Sherlock Holmes play!
Many PLRGs had or have a grandmother who encouraged them into gin and dressing up but very exceptional to have a mother in this line.
This person is an impostor
Who’s an imposter? Can we get back to shorts please?
Shorts are looking more and more possible. How about a shorts suit for general officer wear?
I love Pony tales – I wonder if RN has heard of my great grandmother Dodo Fredickerson-Upman who was unbeatable on a horse?
I am sure he has. I certainly have.
have you really heard of Dodo F-U? she was a great horsewoman often mistaken for a man as she was so competitive – and always wearing suits
She really sounds quite frighteningly frightful and maddeningly mad.
yes was really was – you mentioned you knew her?
Well, I heard of her. She was great friend of Robert Nevil’s mother. I’m surprised you didn’t know that. ‘What will Sir have?’ waiters would invariably say. Surely she met her end at Rugby Horse Trials, where Robert Nevil, being good with words, was doing the commentary. ‘Sad news: Dodo’s dead of a sudden stroke on the course,’ he boomed in a suitably jolly horse fashion. ‘Bouncing Boy took the Brushy Bushy Five-Bar. Dodo was mounted but dead, therefore disqualified. Bad luck, Dodo.’ Later there was a round of applause and uproarious agreement on her ideal termination
Yes indeed she was a close friend of RN’s divine mother. Dodo talked of her endlessly (so my grand mother’s diaries reveal). The mishap made headlines and the ones she remembered most were on the back of the Sportng Times – ”Dead as a Dodo” and in the Pony Tales ”Dead on Arrival”. I think she was the first person to ver take part in a horse race alive and end it dead – still on the horse as it were. As you say – there was huge applause for her stylish exit.
She certainly was a colourful character and the racing world was the poorer for losing her. Still, the Dodo Stakes at Newmarket is run each year in her honour and in her memory, and on the day it is run Newmarket is like a PLRG pilgrimage …
Well yes you are right Adrian – I am very lucky to have such a colourful relative. I gather she did have alot of same sex friends of both sexes (if you know what I mean). So yes I guess you could be right in saying she is a role model for all – especially PLRG. I have been reading your bog for a few days now and I find it most delightful. I think Dodo would adore it.
I’m so pleased you like it so much, a lot of people seem to judging by the number of comments and tributes I receive. Personally dealing with all the comments can be quite taxing but also rewarding. Do keep reading.
no fear – I will; in fact I am sure I can swear that my late and very much dead great grandmother herself will be turning in her grave at very new posting now she has been ”stirred” as it were. So glad BTW that you enjoyed Rome. Was it a first visit?
I look forward to reading more of your Pony Tales.
I have never knowingly been at Rome, and think it most exceedingly funny to be there pre-Paschal, as it were. Bruce MacBrain always raved about the most marvellous architecture there but it never really inspired me. Sonny’s sunny balcony sipping tea and dipping biscuits is more my kind of holiday.
voglio lei a Roma
Si, si, cosi fan tutte, as it were
deve. I do hear it is hotter in London though..at the moment….I have accepted my invite – so lets hope the weather holds.
London is HOT HOT HOT at the moment. So hot that short shorts are in order, not those long knee-length ones which are so often seen at the moment. They need to be so short that the pocket linings can be seen sticking out under the bottom of the shorts. Tell me how you got your invite? Could not get hold of one despite leaning on connections. Afraid of another book of dotes, no doubt.
Well as you know my late great grand mother Dodo Fredickson – Upman being very fond of the horses got to know everyone else so fond of that animal too. Needless to say and how shall I put this discreetly………she did form a strong bond with an old late former queen….I must be discreet thoiugh as my mother woudl be very happy
Royal name dropping is very de trop if not declasse, and very un-PLRG. I recommend sticking firmly to any advice proffered by mothers, although I am still slightly reeling at Nicky Taudlevin’s mother taking him to that under-ground sherry bar on Villiers Street. I suppose not everybody is lucky enough to have a role model mother like my own.
…well yes that is right – as really is any name/place dropping what so ever….it can show up ones insecurities quite well……..
That’s enough about Dodo