THE EMPIRE PAGEANT.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13034, 30 March 1910, Page 3

THE EMPIRE PAGEANT.

Great Spectacle in Course of Preparation

London’s -Leading Part.

One of the busiest men in London at thpresent time is Mr Frank Lasoelles, the popular pageant-maker and nhe guiding .■spnjit.-in the great; Festival fof Empire anil /Pageant of London which is to' be held at, •the Crystal Palace in May, June, and July next. - - - - ‘ * - - ' " ''

. “Considering what an enormous amount of, work there is to he done, wo are going ahead.wonderfully well,” said Mr Lascelles to a Daily News representative yesterday. “With regard to the pageant itself,” he said, “we have got the various episodes mapped out, and the work of designing and making the costumes is being rapidly proceeded with.' No fewer than 16,000 performers will-take , part in ; the. Pageant, which is divided into three parts. “In these .three parts the whole history of London from the days of the Ancient Britons will he represented. One of the. most striking scenes in the-whole Pageant should be that in Part I. depicting the Danish Invasion. The details of this scene are being superintended by the Viking Club of London. Por the purposes of the .Pageant the lakes at the Crystal Pala?o will be adapted As the; River Thames; and the spectators will see the great bridge break in the middle and the defenders hurled into-the water':■ The episodes' of Part 11. will include the Canterbury Pilgrimage, the great rebellion of. 1381, and the triumphal return of Henry V. after his defeat of the French in 1415. A scene dealing with King Henry Yin: will show May Day in Merry England,,, with- all its gaiety. A magnificent scene of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation procession will close this -part. v :

. -iu Part HI. the rise of the English theatre Will he depicted , and scene, will show the terrible plague and 1666. We shall have the assistance ol Messrs Brock in this connection-. We haye, already had a sort of rehearsal’at the 1 alace, and the effect was most: realistic .1 he final scene of this part and of the whole_ pageant will represent the gather. Over-Seas Dominions round the Mother Country.” A special feature is to be made of the music of the pageant. Sir Walter Parra It Master of the King's Music, is in charge or this department, and special music "is being written, by several of our-best known composers. The music will be rendered by a military band, opp hundred strong drawn from the Guards regiments. HVo hope to get some of our foremost actors to fill the -principal parts' in the f.pageant,, Mr Lascelles continued. ••• "On 4'^4te th of ..this month- theHrst meetffig for the purpose of enrolling’ performbe mUr and, afterwards in the other London districts, and we shall commence rehearsals as soon as we have the requisite number.” T -Wt- tuo ..midst- of- these '■preparations Mr Bascelles has received an, invitation from the,,pageant which‘is to he held there In-' connection with the opening of the Union Parliament by the Prince of Wales in Oetober. As-soon- as the Lbndon Pageant-is over, Mr Lascelles will gb to South Africa and arrange the pageant, which is to take place on Table Mountain; ■■■■■■