If you stopped by St. Mark’s Anglican Church for Shrove Tuesday, chances are you ran into resident harlequin, John MacBeth.

Dressed in a patterned costume and mask reminiscent of the commedia dell’arte in Italy, MacBeth’s job for the evening was waltzing around with a tambourine and keeping guests coming through the church hall for pancakes and sausages. 

“They’re trying to turn tables over, so I’m here to annoy people that have eaten already,” MacBeth joked. 

Shrove Tuesday, also known as Pancake Day, Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras, was celebrated on Feb. 13 this year.

Shrove Tuesday dinner at St. Mark’s is an annual fundraising event that lets church patrons and visitors enjoy a traditional Pancake Tuesday meal while supporting the church.

“The tradition was that you would use up all the fat and stuff in the house,” said Rev. Leighton Lee. 

Shrove Tuesday was a great success, with tables turning over consistently from 5 p.m. through to 7 p.m.

“It’s a great atmosphere,” Lee said.

MacBeth said after his evening of harlequin-ing, he would be treated to “whatever of it was left over.”

“They didn’t specify what ‘it’ was,” MacBeth laughed.