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Middleton

Pace Egg Play

Who we are, what we do and why we do it - appearing here soon!

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 In the meantime have a look at our Facebook page.

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The Middleton Pace Egg Play

I'm delighted to report that this year's Pace Egg Play collections broke all records and raised £492.36, which, of course, has been rounded up to £500.

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Thank you so much to everyone who donated so generously.

 

View the first performance and a short interview HERE

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ALL MONIES COLLECTED THIS YEAR WILL BE SENT TO AID HUMANITARIAN RELIEF EFFORTS IN UKRAINE AS THEY CONTINUE TO SUFFER AS A RESULT OF THE RUSSIAN INVASION.

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2022 - WE'RE BACK!!!

After two years (which feels more like five!) Middleton Pace Eggers will once again  be tormenting the general public and disturbing their peaceful Easter Monday drinking by performing their ridiculous little play!

SCHEDULE:

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12 noon       -     The Dusty Miller

12.30pm     -     The Old Roebuck

1.00pm       -     The Britannia Inn

1.30pm       -     The Harbord Harbord (Wetherspoons)

2.00pm      -     The New Inn

2.30pm      -     The Old Boar's Head

3.00pm      -     The Ring o' Bells

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Followed by Egg-Rolling on the hill

outside the Parish Church of St. Leonard.

 

Further details from conduitzzz@outlook.com

PACE EGG 2021

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The partial opening of some pubs scheduled for April 12th came just a week too late to save this year's live performances.

Instead, the members of the cast provided the voices for an updated version of last year's popular Lego character animation.

As well as the current cast we were able to enrol past members who live too far to travel each year, notably, an early Derry Doubt who now resides in Minnesota!

The whole thing was slightly chaotic, which was no surprise to anyone, least of all the members of the cast.

The video, including recordings of earlier plays and interviews with those who attend the event can be viewed by clicking on the link below.

If  you enjoy the show please click the second link and donate to this year's charity. Thank You.

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COVID 19

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic and the resulting closure of pubs we had no option other than to postpone the 2020 Easter Monday performances.

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This is the first time since 1967 that the event has not gone ahead on Easter Monday.

We sincerely hope that we will be able to fulfil our commitment to perform the Pace Egg Play at a later date. We will, of course announce any such event in the local press and on our Facebook page.

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In the meantime click on the link below to watch a hurriedly put together animated (sort of) version.

Followers of our group will be saddened to hear of the death of

Bob Ashworth last June, a few weeks before what would have

been his 70th birthday.

Bob had been in an out of hospital in the months prior to his death

and was unable to take part in the Pace Egging last year.

His part was ably played by out friend and singing associate

Geoff Higginbottom, and I am happy to announce that he will

continue in the role of King of England again this year.

In all other respects the cast, the route and the script (what script?!) 

remain unchanged.

The commemorative plaque of Pace Eggers Passed will be updated

with Bob's huge contribution duly noted.

 

HE WAS THE ONLY PERSON STILL TAKING PART WHO WAS

IN THE VERY FIRST PERFORMANCE IN 1967!

He had also played a greater number of parts than anyone else.

 

He will be greatly missed.

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Bob Ashworth 1949 2019

Easter Monday 2020

All the usual fun and frolics on Easter Monday, 13th April.

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Starting at noon in the town centre we will be wending our way through Middleton, culminating at the Ring O' Bells at 3.00pm.

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There will then be Egg-Rolling on the hill near the parish church - please bring your decorated , hard-boiled eggs to take part.

The Vimeo of the episode of 'Utopia' whch was filmed in 2017 and in which the Middleton Pace Egg Play was featured can be found here;

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https://vimeo.com/228202312

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When prompted, enter the password 'clear'

Our 'bit' starts at 23;15 and lasts about 6 minutes.

SCHEDULE:

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12 noon       -     The Edgar Wood (Dusty Miller)

12.30pm     -     The Old Roebuck

1.00pm       -     The Britannia Inn

1.30pm       -     The Harbord Harbord (Wetherspoons)

2.00pm      -     The New Inn

2.30pm      -     The Old Boar's Head

3.00pm      -     The Ring o' Bells

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Followed by Egg-Rolling on the hill

outside the Parish Church of St. Leonard.

Easter Monday 2017

Once again this year we will be following the usual route with an unchanged schedule. 

 

For anyone unfamiliar with our arrangements, locations and times are listed below.

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This year we will be accompanied for the day by a film crew from BBC4 who will be filming the proceedings for a documentary to be screened later in the year.

They will be recording footage of the action and expect to speak to members of the crowd as well. If you have any good stories to tell about  your experiences watching Pace Egging please make yourself known to the team, they will be please to speak to you either on or off camera.

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SCHEDULE:

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12 noon       -     The Dusty Miller

12.30pm     -     The Old Roebuck

1.00pm       -     The Britannia Inn

1.30pm       -     The Harbord Harbord (Wetherspoons)

2.00pm      -     The New Inn

2.30pm      -     The Old Boar's Head

3.00pm      -     The Ring o' Bells

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Followed by Egg-Rolling on the hill

outside the Parish Church of St. Leonard.

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LAST CHANCE!

There are just a handful of copies left of the booklet about Middleton Pace Egg Play originally published around 1980. It had been thought there were none left but a few were discovered whilst preparing the archive. Go to The Corner Shop to buy your copy before they really DO sell out.

The Archive

In the last weeks of 2016 (with much-appreciated direction and help from the outgoing archivist Dave Govier) I completed the task of scanning and catalogueing the entire Middleton Pace Egg Play Archive which I have been collecting over the last 50 years.

 

This consists of several hundred press cuttings, over 400 photographs and miscellaneous other items. 

 

The archive is now permanently housed in temperature-controlled conditions in Manchester Central Library (Archives+) and is available to anyone with an interest who would like to visit.

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My next job is to complete a spreadsheet which will have full, searchable, details of every photograph and document in the archive. I hope that others will be able to add information particularly about the people, both cast members and audience members, in the photographs.

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Eventually, the whole archive will be available in electronic form in the new Pace Egg Play Website, to be constructed. Once that is done I will also be able to add several hundred more photographs as well as a number of video recordings (some black and white and SILENT!) dating back as far as 1973. 

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I will post details as things develop.

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