🐴 Archers thread 124: And they're off! Pip on a high horse, Kirsty champing at the bit to find the lost ‘horses’, Alice on the wagon (or is she riding for a fall?). Discuss The Archers here.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Thank you, @PseudoBadger, for kicking off this long, long series of Archers threads.

All views on The Archers welcome here! New blood welcomed. We don't all agree on all points and most of us are posting tongue in cheek a lot of the time, so don't worry about revealing that you think Shula would make a brilliant vicar, or other unusual views.

Spoilers: not on this thread, please. We don't wait for the omnibus to discuss the weeknight episodes, but we do try our best to avoid cross-contamination from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3853783--The-Archers-spoilers-thread-5-Cant-wait-for-7-02pm-Join-us-here, where spoilers are positively welcomed!

For newer listeners, lurkers or those who just have no idea what we're talking about, @DadDadDad has created this useful thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/radio_addicts/3557323-For-Archers-fans-a-guide-to-acronyms-on-the-long-running-discussion-threads-and-any-other-meta-thread-questions-you-may-have - BOOP point for him! (See thread for explanation.)

Thanks to @PoulePouletteEternellement for the equine theme to the new thread title. I wanted to work in Rex being a dark horse and lots of others too, but (you may feel fortunately) there's a character limit for the title.

I wonder if this thread will see us through to the end of February. The last one filled up in under a month, which was like old times. All depends on what delights are in store for us in the coming weeks, I suppose. I'm hoping that Gavin has spilled the beans on Victoria, she's also arrested, and the lads are found. Having said that, I'm not confident that in the real world they would get the support and care they need to turn their lives around and get proper jobs. It was good to hear on the last thread from @Trickyboy, who has professional experience of investigating this vile crime. Any comments on how things turn out in the long run for those rescued?

Is Evie the doctor?

I hate the Mystery Play. Just wanted to get that off my chest. Shut up Kirsty, you were boring and stupid before now you are boring about two things. The caravan thing is hideous too. What a terrible episode. It’s a sad day when Helen is the light relief.

@FredSoftly

Is Evie the doctor?

I think she was an archaeology student who turned up for the dig but I could be wrong.

I was at Academic Archers. Was fab. Cake was very good. And I even hear a line from April (a very non interesting one maybe).
And Roy's pub is very close to me.

In other news, I would believe if David reaches breaking point, he has been the one who loves more in that relationship for years. I'd find it believable if having forgiven the suddenly flying off to New Zealand and staying for Christmas he finally snaps over a day trip to another farm.
And the SW are obviously desperate to do a big divorce in farming storyline (hence no ore-nup for Tom and Natasha).

I'd love them to do a big divorce storyline over Brookfield, because it would pull in the entire extended Archers clan, especially Kenton, Shula and Lizzie, who all have a direct financial interest if the farm has to be sold. I don't think they'll do it, though. It would be seismic. They'll go to the brink and then scuttle back, as they always do.

Is AmDram a bigger thing in rural communities and smaller towns? My parents live in a very rural place with a thriving Drama Festival (in normal times). Population 4 or 5000, Festival usually includes half a dozen one-act plays (minimum), each from a separate group, extensively written up in the local paper (which reaches nearly 100% of the population). My parents go to watch it. Highlight of the social calendar!

I'd be hard pressed to tell you if there's any AmDram in my area (inner London) outside schools and universities.

@AskingQuestionsAllTheTime

"Two-thirds of the workforce is going to be away from the farm for three or four hours" isn't something you don't bother to mention to the person who is going to be left dealing with everything single-handed, I wouldn't have thought.

That’s what I thought! If I were David I’d be just as pissed off at my colleagues sodding off unannounced. Especially when he spends the whole of feb with his arm up a sheep.

AmDram in villages IME is just like in the Archers, very much dependent on one or two local people who are the drivers of it. If they die or move away it tends to stop.

And Ben's over-investment in Ruairi's sex life puts Jazzer's ancient creepiness in the shade.

Ben is acting exactly the way his family do. No wonder he’s having secret bunk ups in caravans, none of the brokefield archer kids can even look at a potential shag partner without ruth giving them the third degree in that chortly stupid voice she does when she’s noseying about other people’s love lives

Here in Hollerton we have an AmDram group that DD took part in (she can boast that she took part in a World Premiere production! ) One of the local villages does an annual Panto.
Locally we have : a quite serious music festival, a not-so-prestigious art festival, two classical music groups who put on a season each, a folk festival and a series of lectures by the history society.
DD now lives in a different county and belongs to a small-town Musical Theatre group there.

I think the idea of 2 teenage boys cooking up a shared (not with each other) sex caravan is incredibly grim. Why didn’t Ben just get on with it?

@R4, we have most of that too. I wonder if it's being in London that puts a damper on AmDram. So easy to see a professional production (in normal times) and so many unemployed actors putting on one-man shows in pubs and the like.

They'll go to the brink and then scuttle back, as they always do.

There's a title in there, somewhere ...

Ambridge's Mysterious Mysteries: The Case of David's Missing Spine, The Amazing Disappearance of Pat, Lynda Snell's Kompromat - yet more cases for Harrison (not) to solve.

Something like that for the title?

Don’t think of it as a sex caravan, think of it as a “love shack” à la B52s

Not aware of any AmDram in our little rural backwater, but there is a Sex Caravan.

On land right next to my house.

< not envy!

I’m pleased for Helen. Lee isn’t my cup of tea If I had to spend a week with one of them, I think I'd prefer it to be with Lee.

I thought it was rather sweet, Ben explaining he couldn't have girlfreinds overnight because they'd get a grilling from his gran. I do hope I wasn't a deterrent for my son's GFs,

The caravan thing is hideous too. I think it's nice that they've got a definite project to work on together. Everyone needs a Project

very much dependent on one or two local people who are the drivers of it. If they die or move away it tends to stop. Aren't most voluntary activities like that? Maybe most activities - isn't this where the 1980s enthusiasm for "champions" came from, the realisation that everything fizzles out without someone who's really committed to it and willing to badger everyone else to do their bit?

Isn't the lack of Amdram in London more because the strength of London is being a cosmopolitan, mobile society? Most amateur /voluntary stuff where I live is propelled by people who've been involved for years. You always know who to direct newcomers to because the person they need to speak to is the one they would have needed to speak to 10 years ago.

So, is that not-quite-right jalopy of Johnny's going to get itself entangled with Alice on her not-quite-right horse?

The Carters (junior branch) seem to be in such ominous harmony at the moment ...

Definitely ominous. The fact that Alice does actually love Chris and has some kind of understanding for what it's been like for him will make it all the worse when he discovers she's fallen off the wagon again/ she falls off a horse and loses the baby.

Rob is on the horizon. Just wait til Lee's moved in.

Alice and chris have sounded way too happy lately. I think Asking worked out she is about 30 weeks pg by now so it’s probably Dramatic Premature Labour o’clock any day.

If they die or move away it tends to stop
People of Ambridge, the solution lies in your hands! Where Blake failed, you can yet succeed.

Oh, and one casting decision for the mystery plays is a clear reflection of the frequency with which 'Jesus, it's that plank Harrison' is uttered.

I absolutely didn't work out how many weeks pregnant she is! All I said was that on 6th October, 2020, Alice and the midwife were agreed that she was "bang on twelve weeks".

Certainly around 30 weeks now, possibly a bit more. Am surprised we haven't heard more nesting going on, Jenny and Soosan clucking etc.

Why is Ruth like some kind of doddery old man? Is there an age gap?

*Why is Ruth TREATING DAVID like some doddery old man, I meant to say.

(Can you tell I’m tired?)