The Revival of Pageantry.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLI, Issue 5, 29 July 1908, Page 9

The Revival of Pageantry.

The record o' modern pageantry is short, beginning as it docs with Mr. Louis N. Parker’s experimental production at Sherborne three years ago, when he was astonished with his own success, and the quiet little old world Dorset hamlet was overwhelmed by an incursion of some 40,000 strangers, many of whom came from Canada, America and Australasia to witness the revival of the story cf our race. The success of the Sherborne show roused the spirit of emulation in other historic towns of tlie Old Country, and during the past two years “pageants” have found great favour with the public. This year “pageantitis” (if it is permissible to coin such a word) has broken out all over England. The ancient town of Dudley has already given its inhabitants and visitors from ail parts a picturesque review of its history for a thousand years in the grounds of Dudley Castle, but the real pageant season lies before us. It will commence on June 25th, when both Winchester and Chelsea commence a week’s indulgence in living picture lessons in their history. A few days later Cheltenham follows suit, and a little later still the ancient little town of Pevensey will see its story developed from the days of the Druids onwards to the time when its inhabitants roused themselves to resist the Armada. Then Dover is to have its pageant to mark the entente cordiale and emphasise the important part it has played in history as the gate of England. There arc many other minor pageants in course of preparation, but these will be the shows that will appeal chiefly to Colonial visitors to the Old Country. They will be all well worth seeing. Apart from their educational influence, the combination of art and history that go to make the modern pageant has irresistible delights for the senses in its brilliant colour effects and its grand choruses of hundreds of voices. As a mere spectacle it cannot be surpassed when seen in the light of the sun, with greensward for stage and ancient buildings, summer foliage or silver sea for background to heighten the effect. Tire interest taken locally in the preparations for the pageants presently to be presented at Dover and elsewhere is truly remarkable. Thousands of people who didn’t seem to eare a jot whether their town had a history or not are now working enthusiastically to make their pageants a success, and folk of every degree are working and rehearsing v .geciier with an esprit de corps that should have a very beneficial effect on the social life of the pageant affected localities. Possibly the most interesting of all the pageants promised this year will be that at Dover, which will have an international character. It is to be produced with French co-operation, a group from across the Channel having undertaken tile entire production of an episode representing the arrival of Henrietta Maria at Dover as the bride of Charles I. The scene has been written by the French poet Louis Ticrcelin, who gets a good deal of fun out of the language difficulty between the Royal lovers. In one of the episodes will be shown the actual building of a ship by the men of Dover, inspired by Hubert de Burgh to resist invasion. There will be some fine scenic effects in the French scene, and in the meeting between Henry VIII. and the Emperor Charles to make preparations for the Field of the Cloth of Gold. In the opening episode of Legendary Dover will appear King Arthur. His chivalrous spirit is intended to pervade the entire Pageant, and to be reinforced from time to time by the Knights of the Round Table, who as chorus are supposed to see history unfold itself before them while they wait for King Arthur to come again. Side by sice with the clash of chivalry, ecclesiastical pomp, and regal splendour, the production will convey much of the ordinary life of the common folk, for Mr. Parker, who is responsible for the pageant as a whole, fully recognises that while the splendid figures of history are only of occasional appearances, the individual and collective struggles of the people go on always, and that in them lie the foundations of history.