Sunday 20 December 2009

Middle Ditch Christmas Special 2009

Listen here:



A Christmas Past

Lady Annabel and Susan reminisce about a Christmas past when the pub burned down.

This episode features in order of appearance:

Keith Walton as the Announcer
Sue Tarrant as Susan
Rowena Kitchen as Lady Annabel
Sorani Mkandawire as Anna
Georgina Malcolm as Young Susan
Leo Dolan as Young Alan
Harry Denniston as Young John
Esme Alexander as Young Annabel
Brian Hinton M.B.E. as Young and Old Minton
Jeremy Drake as Young and Old Bishop
Keith Walton as Young and Old Jim
Oli Cary as Young Frank

Editing and sound effects by David Caddy and Monique Caddy
Written by Rowena Kitchen and directed by David Caddy

64 comments:

Charles Gramlich said...

Hope everyone gets to hitting on all cylinders soon. Seems the season this year for health issues.

Middle Ditch said...

Health and technical problems, Charles. We are working on it and post as soon as we can.

Commander Zaius said...

I'll be here waiting. Hope everyone gets better soon and the technical gremlins are soon defeated.

Devin said...

We will still be here-I agree with Charles and Beach Bum-a lot of people seem to be ill lately -I almost feel like one of the lucky ones-although I have almost no energy!
I hope you are all better very soon and technical problems ironed out!
all the best -and holiday and new years best wishes to all of you!!

fizzycat said...

Brandy gravy sounds interesting... All the best for the season to all the cast.

jmsjoin said...

Hi Monique! Hope you all feel better, how did I miss this? Pass the bottle ha. You all enjoy the Holidays!

Marilyn Brant said...

Thanks for the delightful Christmas Special. Here's wishing you all well for the holidays and the New Year! Hope it will be a good one for you. :)

Ruela said...

Merry Xmas MD!

•°°• IcyBC •°°• said...

Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays to you and your family!

Wishing you a prosper New Year.

Richard said...

Natale hilare et annum faustum, Monique. Wishing strenght and health and joy.

Lily said...

have a wonderful Christmas! greetings from Scandinavia, SSG

David Caddy said...

Christmas crackers Annabel, the pub's on fire!!

This reminds me how many times some of our local pubs have caught fire or burned down over the years.

A merry Christmas and joyous New Year to everyone. Thank you for listening and commenting this year.

Middle Ditch said...

Beach Bum and Devin, it is finally posted. Merry Christmas to you both.

Fizz, thanks. Yes, brandy gravy does sound interesting. I might give it a try.

Hey Jim, merry Christmas to you and yours.

Thanks Marilyn, I'm glad that you enjoyed this. Wishing you happy holidays too.

Merry Christmas Ruela.

Thanks Icy, I hope that you have a wonderful time.

Happy holidays Richard. And a joyful new year.

Thanks Sarah, wishing you the same.

One of my favorite lines too, David.

Thank you all for visiting and leaving such lovely comments.

TomCat said...

I Downloaded it last night and loved it this morning.

Merry Christmas to Monique, David and all here.

goatman said...

Thanks for your Christmas wishes to this doodle from across the pond.

May your holidays be filled with cheer and laughter my friend.

jed said...

This episode was a lot of fun!

I wish the cast and listeners a happy and merry Christmas. Don't forget the brandy in the gravy!!

Middle Ditch said...

Merry Christmas Tom Cat.

Thanks Goatman

I too love this episode Jed. The editing and adding the (few) sound effects took some doing, but we got there.

ivan said...

Hi Monique.

Technical problems and health problems. Doesn't it all seem to well up by about Christmas Eve?

Sure happened to me. I had 31 viruses in my computer, along with 940 "tracking cookies" whatever those are. Drove both me and my techie nuts. So there was illness here, but largely mental illness...That'll teach me to hit the naughty sites! Heh. Rewarded by "Wet Girls" who totally ruined my computer. Heh. TMI, I guess.

I'd better do a segue here.
Congratulations on your continuing production.
I myself have found a local group of actors who may grudgingly put on my own play in progress, "Light Over Newmarket". We have access to a theatre and hope to be putting it on for money,commercial, live. Who knows? the actors' families might attend the production.
Christmas miracle in finding the contact person?... But I had to publish his work in my own blog first. Back-scratching time, I suppose.
Health, creativity and happiness to you over the holidays!

Reader Wil said...

Merry Christmas, Monique, to you and the Middle Ditch cast! So you skated on the Veluwemeer! Well that's great as I could hardly manage on a common ditch, but that was no wonder as I had lived in Indonesia until the age of twelve.

SantaCat said...

Ho Ho Ho! Merry Christmas to all you cool cats and pretty kitties! And have a purrrfect New Year!

laughingwolf said...

merry christmas to you and yours, m'dear :)

BernardL said...

That Was Wonderful! Merry Christmas!

Charles Gramlich said...

The singing was an inspired touch.

Erik Donald France said...

Thanks for the special and -- Merry Christmas, Happy and salubrious 2010!

TomCat said...

Thanks Monique!

Middle Ditch said...

Ivan, this is fantastic new, the production I mean of course, not the viruses and I'm sure that plenty of people will attend the play when it opens.

Thanks reader Wil, yes, when young I loved skating. Specially speed skating.

Thank you Santa Cat, a merry Christmas to you too.

Middle Ditch said...

Thank you Laughingwolf.

Merry Christmas bernardL.

Thank you Charles.

I'll look you up shortly Erik. Thanks for visiting.

You're most welcome Tom Cat.

Unknown said...

Catching up on all things Middle Ditch now that things have slowed down a bit for me. For what it's worth, I haven't been able to shake off this cough I have.

Hope you have recovered and had a wonderful xmas.

Unknown said...

Pregnancy!?!?!

Middle Ditch said...

Thanks Ricardo, I'm well and I hope you shake off this cold soon. It's no fun.

Pregnancy??

In a bit of a do (episode 33) Lady Annabel revealed to Anna and Susan that she had a baby girl adopted. She asked them to keep it quiet. And now we know that Frank Perry is the father but we don't know yet who this (by now grown up) baby is. But keep listening and all will be revealed.

Devin said...

This was delightful-as I knew it would be!!
sorry it took me so long to get over here-It appears it was even posted before my problems started (or got worse I should say with my back-and I just didn't notice the update) but I am so glad to have noticed it tonight -and hope all are feeling better!!
This has really been the year-and it appears to be worldwide for people feeling rough and getting sick -I hope it is over with now!!
Love and Hugs to all of you here and I hope you are all having a beautiful season and will all have a wonderful and joyous 2010!!
Great job again-the whole year through-and congrats also on your many commenters and followers-you deserve them and I am sure will get many more!!

Rick said...

Really worth waiting for! Loved it the first time through and I'm getting ready to listen to it all over again. For some reason I was waiting for a New Year's Eve episode, and then I remembered it was a Christmas special coming up!! Happy New Year to all of you and they should pass a law that you have to do this for at least another ten years to keep all your listeners happy.

Felicity Grace Terry said...

For some reason or other I wasn't able to access this. Oh well, will keep trying.
My best wishes to all in Middle Ditch and all those who visit, hope you have a wonderful 2010.

Middle Ditch said...

Devin, we are all feeling great and I really hope that you are feeling much better too.

It was the editing what was complicated, such a long episode, I think the longest so far and four separate recordings due to illnesses. A nightmare.

Having said that, Rowena did a wonderful job and all the credit should go to her for writing and casting the youngsters with David. The two girls are eager to do another one and I'm busy thinking of another such episode. I have one or two ideas but we'll see.

You are such a lovely supporter Devin. Thank you for your regular visits and comments and a very happy new year.

Middle Ditch said...

Rick, thank you too, for being such a smashing supporter.

Another ten years!!! Goodness!! I will, most probably, have ran out of ideas by then! Sooner or later it will have to end, I'm afraid. And an ending to end this quirky tales of village life has been in my mind for a long time. When this will happen, I have no idea.

A very happy new year to you and yours Rick.

Middle Ditch said...

Hi Petty Witter, thank you for the visit and I hope that you come back to give this another try. It's well worth it. I can say this now, because I have had nothing to to with this episode apart from helping to edit it.

A happy 2010 to you and yours and I'll be visiting you shortly.

Reader Wil said...

Hi Monique! Gelukkig Nieuw Jaar en veel succes met Middle Ditch!

David Caddy said...

I wish all the cast and listeners to Middle Ditch a very happy and creative New Year. Many thanks for participating in the fun and for listening and commenting. Looking forward to the continuing stories of Middle Ditch. Yay!

Commander Zaius said...

Young Frank really likes to push his luck. Comments like "Too many minced meat pies..." with Annabel pregnant can get a guy dead.

Loved this episode and hope everyone has a Happy New Year.

fizzycat said...

Thanks, all the best to all the cast for the New Year.

Middle Ditch said...

Bedankt Reader Wil.

Thanks david. The same from me. Without the cast there would be no Middle Ditch and without the listeners and commenters I would have given up a long time ago.

Young Frank is pushing his luck way to far Beach Bum. His name will be cropping up from time to time and, I can assure you, he is not a pleasant guy. Why Annabel wanted him as her boyfriend is just beyond believe and I'm sure she will be regretting this episode of her life, specially when she learns what happened to Susan. That story is coming up.

Susan just can't remember Frank and there must be a reason for this.

Also people, David and I decided to put a 'teaser' underneath each episode. This was Brian's idea. Brian thought that it would be easier for new listeners, who like to begin at episode one, to follow the story. I'm sure that he is right.

Happy 2010 to all the followers of Middle Ditch.

Middle Ditch said...

I will pass this on Fizz. Happy new year.

tom said...

Enjoyed - and Happy New Year to all in Middleditch.

TomCat said...

Happy New Year to Monique and all here.

ANNA-LYS said...

Happy New Year Monique and David

Middle Ditch said...

Tom, TomCat, Ruela and Anna-Lys ....... A very happy and almighty creative 2010 to all of you too.

Rick said...

Hi Monique, David, and all and Happy New Year.

Just thought I'd drop y'all a note and tell you that you are such a productive and entertaining troupe that you're easy to take for granted. For example, when I visit here I just know I'm going to be hearing great fun and suspense. I just wonder if your neighbors and newspapers and media types know what a treasure you are in your own country. People from all over the world love you, so I hope your neighbors know how great you are too!

Anyway, thanks for providing a place where those of us who love good stories can come to relax and enjoy the sound of brillliance at work.

Shammickite said...

I can't listen, the sound on this computer has gone pfffttt!

cherie said...

oh my, i am now on the way to recovery so i hope everyone else is! happy new year, ms. monique!

Tina said...

hope you had a lovely christmas and near year x

are you still running your other blogs at all. My followers list has been playing up lately :)

Tina from
Gossip Avenue
Travel Shack
Mummy Diaries
Game FreakZ

Middle Ditch said...

Rick, your kind words are very touching. I don't think that we are recognised much either locally or nationally. We have a loyal and growing audience and are finding new outlets for the episodes. Some of our neighbours and people at the village pub know what we are doing and are supportive. We don't have enough spare time to promote the series very much. We rely more on word of mouth and people exchanging links. I don't think any of us want any celebrity. We are much happier getting on with what we do and enjoying that.

Thank you for writing. I greatly appreciate your support.

Middle Ditch said...

Shammickite, you are missing a great episode. I'm still so pleased that I can say this as I'm not the writer and I'm not in the episode. Perhaps another time you will be able to listen. A very happy new year to you and thanks for visiting.

Cherie, you have been missed here and I'm glad that you have recovered. We are, I'm very pleased to say, very well. Busy as ever with editing episodes. Happy new year to you too Cherie.

Tina, we've had a lovely Christmas, thank you. And the new year is beginning pretty promising. My other blog is lying dormant at the moment. For some reason I have lost interest in that script blog but I enjoy visiting you. Happy new year Tina.

Leigh Russell said...

I think the next episode should out the gremlins and sort them out once and for all!
Thank you for commenting on my new book cover, Monique. I've replied on my blog - glad you like it!
Happy New Year to everyone (not you, gremlins.)

Middle Ditch said...

The next episode is again completely different Leigh. It sort of follows up on the story.

Thanks for visiting and I love your cover for your next novel.

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...

Middle Ditch...I am from Maple Ridge, perhaps they can be sister cities.

Middle Ditch said...

They very well could be KingPin

Chris Benjamin said...

well done, really enjoyed that and no problems accessing it here. my gremlins and yours must get along.

Happy 2010 Monique and all at Middle Ditch!

Sun Follower said...

Cup of hot tea - a cookie and another episode of Middle Ditch! :)

Monique said...

Thank you Ben and Sun follower. Happy 2010 to you both.

X. Dell said...

(1) Love the outtakes.

(2) I had a bit of a time with this episode. I've become familiar with the characters, but when they're voiced by different actors, I had to really pay attention to who's saying what to whom, and what whom's saying in return.

(3) Was nice to hear Alan (in any form) back in the mix. His character doesn't seem to have changed one iota over the years (Minton's either).

(4) I'm I right to assume that we'll be hearing something from old Frank?

X. Dell said...

BTW, it was kinda fun hearing Jim out of control.

Middle Ditch said...

We loved the out takes too X. Dell, it was great fun during the recording and David decided to keep them in.

The kids were great! We recorded them separate from the other actors and they enjoyed it so much that, perhaps, we might do another episode set in the past.

David knows Leo well and when he learned what Rowena was writing he knew straight away that Leo would fit the bill exactly to play young Paul.

Jay Ramsay could not be here to play the Bishop. Jeremy took pity on us and agreed to play the part. And didn't he do well!!

The three guys, Brian, Keith and Jed had great fun playing drunk students. And yes, of course, we will be learning more about Frank.

I nearly gave up on you ever coming back to us and it is absolutely great to see you here again.

darkfoam said...

i could stand to be about three sheets into the wind right about now.

Middle Ditch said...

Long time no see Foam and a late discovery. I should check the comments on older episodes more often.

Hope to see you soon again and thanks for visiting and commenting.