Bill Owen's final resting place. |
Our time in Holmfirth, while rich with meaning, rapidly drew
to a close. We had left so much
undone. The series depicted so many
beautiful churches over the course of its thirty-seven year run, and we had
wanted to see some of them. We could
have visited the church yard in which Bill Owen, who played Compo in the
series, was buried. We had planned to
dine in the White Horse Inn, where Foggy, Norman, and Compo occasionally begin
or end their adventures. And of course,
had we done more research, we could have found Norman Clegg’s house, and
photographed it.
What one family has made of their life in Holmfirth. |
“Last of the Summer Wine,” more than any other British
comedy, epitomizes what drew me to England.
For the best comedy not only provides engaging characters, but allows
them to grow and change. While the
number of episodes made each year tends to be small, one follows these
characters over time: we celebrate their triumphs, we rue their failures. The best of these shows, even if shot mostly
in studio, also depict current life in Britain.
This style of living, so different from our own, drew us here. Exploring Holmfirth has illuminated so many
aspects of English life that tantalized us back in America. So leaving Holmfirth is hard, because even
though our journey in England will continue, our insights into this particular
style of English living have drawn to a close.
Might Foggy convince Norman and Compo to ride their bicycles down this slope and across these fields? |
Another reason why leaving Holmfirth is hard is because the
British don’t make sitcoms like they used to.
Those great shows shown on BBC and ITV, which once journeyed across the
Atlantic Ocean, no longer reach American shores. This is not to say that TV shows are no
longer being made in England: of course they are. But the style of humor, as well as the manner
of production, has entirely changed. I
still enjoy watching the new dramas and mysteries made in England, but they don’t
resonate in me the same way that the great comedies from the 1970s, 80s, and
90s do. Why this should be, I do not
know. Late in his life, E.F. Benson, a
prolific English author, purportedly said that of all the different types of
stories, novels, and nonfiction books he had written, he felt that his lighter,
comedic works spoke most clearly to the human condition. So perhaps I am not alone in my
sentiments. For of all the works that
E.F. Benson wrote, what he remains best known for are his “Mapp and Lucia”
novels.
Time doesn't seem to exist here. |
Time has a way of lulling one into complacency. When first arriving at a particular stop in a
journey, one thinks one has plenty of time for everything. But regardless of how well one has scheduled
and prioritized one’s adventures, suddenly realization strikes: Time has flown,
and now one must leave. Yet, while
leaving a particular stop means the end of one journey, it also heralds the
beginning of another. While we remain
saddened by what we have left behind, we hunger for what is yet to come. I shall do my best to focus upon the joys we
shall surely discover, as our footsteps lead us relentlessly onward.
Thanks for understanding,
Dragon
Dave
No comments:
Post a Comment