D. H. Lawrence (Auth.)
The Rainbow [Christmas Guysers Play]
Harmondsworth, Penguin Books, 1971, pp.140,279

The following passages in this novel briefly mention a Christmas Guysers' play. The description was probably based on the author's childhood experiences in Eastwood, Notts.

p.140; "The wake departed, and the guysers came. There was loud applause, and shouting and excitement as the old mystery play of St George, in which every man present had acted as a boy, proceeded, with banging and thumping of club and dripping pan.

'By Jove, I got a crack once, when I was playin' Beelzebub.' said Tom Brangwen. his eyes full of water with laughing. 'It knocked all th' sense out of me as you'd crack an egg. But I tell, when I come to, I played Old Johnny Roger with St George, I did that.'

He was shaking with laughter. Another knock came at the door. There was a hush."

p.279; "Gradually there gathered the feeling of expectation. Christmas was coming. In the shed, at nights, a secret candle was burning, a sound of veiled voices was heard. The boys were learning the old mystery play of St George and Beelzebub." ...

"In the cow-shed the boys were blacking their faces for a dress-rehearsal; the turkey hung dead, with opened, speckled wings, in the dairy. The time was come to make pies in readiness."

Locations:	Notts.; Eastwood, Notts. (SK4646)
Years:	First Publ. 1915; Publ. 1971
Subjects:	Christmas; Mystery Play; Guysers; St. George; Beelzebub; Novel; Play
People:	David Herbert Lawrence (Auth.)
Archives:	Ref.: TD00070