THE PAGEANT OF LONDON.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVI, Issue XLVI, 27 June 1911, Page 7

THE PAGEANT OF LONDON.

Anions the many features of the Festival "f Empire now being held in London, and pa ft ieipat ud in by :i Maori troupe, the most alluring is said to !>■(• the Pageant of; London. This- is not a Pageant of JLondon alone. It Is a Pageant of the Fmpire also. iFor in the 32 historical episodes that are to be depicted will be 1 raced the national progress, politically and socially, in war, commerce, and from the settlement of the ancient Pritons in mud huts on the banks of the Thames to an Imperial gathering at the Crystal Palace in this Coronation year. The Pageant ha s been divided into four

•jinrfs, one of which will be played each day in rotation throughout the Festival, the scene beino- set in a beautiful natural amphitheatre—one

of the valleys of the grounds. From every part of the vast terraces of -eats erected on the- sTopos of the

valley is obtained a complete view of tho great arena, and, beyond the tree* which enclose it, there is a "■lnrioiiK background of the far--pr-ndino- plains of "Kent. Tn the -cen:re of this arena is a long sheer of water—represent ino- the Thames— in the middle by an ancient h< idne, and lost to view among- the ' in tlie distance. All the scenes ■ '■',' the Pageant . are to be depicted en the banks of the river, and in its foreground, a wide and 1 pleasant snot'ch of preen turf, Tlie .Pageant, begins with the foundation of the Roman city, or, rather, citadel, of Londinium, i n the year 29C. Tt is partly religious and partly military. In the foreground is the Temple of Piana. in which a stag- is sacrificed to ptlehrate the naval victory of Carau. -in-: and by and by the king himself or. nit's nil the river in his galley, and "- received with acclamation? by the people. Another scene is "Tlie Restoration of London" by Alfred in the year 886. It takes place a L Ludsrate Hill. Alfred. who rides in State, accompanied by. his queen borne in a litter, and attended by prelates and monks, crosses the l:--idge and is presented with the lcevs ;>f the citv by the sheriff. In "The X'Orman Conquest" Harold marches to Hastings at the head of his army. Then the prospect changes, and the. Conqueror enters London trailing the banners of the defeated Saxons in !he dust. For thio episode there is a v ; ew of Westminster Abbey. "The Commune of London" takes -place in the open space in front of St. Paul's Cathedra]. There is a great crowd. Craftsmen are' plying- their trades.

] Mountebanks and jugglers are showf incr their tricks, just a s if it were , T-fnmpstpnd "Heath on Rank Holiday [in the 20th century. Such is the first : brief trlimpsp of the Pageant of London. For it 15.000 penormers. drawiv

frnin all classes, have, been trained. Among- the principal iplayers are the "Puke- of Westminster a« "Henry V." Lndv Plymouth a s "Queen Elivibotl]." Lord Howard de Walden a,4 "Tb~ : p,la<»k' Prince." Sir Melvill ~"d T>dv as "The Priest "nd Priestess of Dud." Lord Hill, T idv Bonpo-all. Sir Roeer Curt's. and T .ndv "Resmnrt are a I*o nppparing. Be-

' : "d shrubberies enciTcliniT the arena tp (he nrvpointed nl'aces for the gathrino- of the performers.