WOKING Amateur Operatic Society has delighted audiences with its crowd-pleasing performances for more than 50 years, this year being no exception.
And those riding bus 34 from Guildford to Woking earlier this month were treated to a private preview of the society’s upcoming performance Sunshine On Leith.
Society member Alan, 86, boarded the bus with his “CD player, Sunshine on Leith CD and headphones” and “sang softly to all the songs”.
It was only when Alan got the bus back to Guildford later that day that he realised his private rendition had not been as private as he first thought.
When the bus driver said: “Ah, you were the chap who was singing on the bus this morning,” Alan’s first worrying thought was that he was going to get banned.
But instead the driver said: “It made my drive in so enjoyable.”
In hope of brightening other people’s days, Alan handed the driver a poster for the upcoming show.
Alan was even happier when a member of the public mentioned a poster advertising the show was now up in a local garage.
Just in case news of the upcoming concert hadn’t spread from Alan’s efforts alone, he is encouraging other society members to “get out there, on the buses and start singing”.
This leads Alan to ask: “Will we now have a collection of singing bus drivers or a collection of bus drivers complaining about all these silly singing passengers?” Alan eagerly waits to find out.
The society’s performance of Sunshine On Leith is set to take to the Rhoda McGaw Theatre’s stage from October 31 to November 4.
Directed by Ellen McDermott and Heather Bokota, this performance will tell the story of a pair of soldiers returning from war in Afghanistan to their homeland, Scotland, and the turbulence of family life which greets them.
Families, friendships and love are not all plain sailing in this funny and moving story.
Anyone interested in getting involved, whether singing or behind the scenes, should head to https://waosmt.co.uk/shows/sol/
Tickets start from £16.50 and can be purchased at www.atgtickets.com