SEARCHLIGHT TATTOO

Hokitika Guardian, 25 July 1929, Page 8

SEARCHLIGHT TATTOO

A GREAT PREPARATION,

ALDERSHOT, June 12. Many an' actor’s heart beats beneath a khaki tunic in the Aldershot Command these days. Soldiering ha> developed a new and alluring side. The drama is the thing. You are made aware of the fact (although a stranger and a. civiliar. within th'e military frontiers of Aidershot) on seeing the almost hilariouf enthusiasm of troops engaged daily in certain unusual manoeuvres under a burning sun while spread lavishly over a 60-acres field.

No sergeant-major could ever hop( to inspire, by his peculiar method.--o. persuasion alone,' such deep interest!in the business of routine drill as is shown by these lads. The reason is-a simple one. Wort is never work when you believe you are playing, and the so.diers thus engaged are playing on England’s largest open-air stage, preparatory to their debut before the public on June 18th. as performers in the annual Searchlight Tattoo. Whatever Communist agitators may say to the contrary, they like it. No theatrical manager has .ev.tr had more willing material for the, production of a great success. ' . ■. . ■ , , •

And, a great success.,.it undoubtedly will' be.. This year’s Tattoo, which will be given, on five,,successive, nights. Starting on June 18th., is a masterly, production ; of the military dramatist or Aldershot. They have built two fine how spectacles op the, theme of chivalry, and, surrounded them with other episodes in which a total of more than iP,(XX) soldiers and bandsmen will take part. ACROSS EIGHT CENTURIES.

There will be more colour than evei before; brighter and better costumes and scenery on a colossal scale reconsttuctiug with historic fidelity the atmosphere of such widely separated periods as the 12th. century, the year of Water 00, and the first great phase of the Great War. j

Chivalry, the theme this j’ear, as “Sacrifice” was Ipst year, is interpreted by the leading episodes, not as rnilitqrism, ,but. as uie principle of seryici, for, .others (\eforp, self, j and, without} thought of , personal gain.) ~, , | ,lt is shown first, in the episode o the returiiirig,.Crusaders,,.who are welcomed, in front of/a, I,2th'.‘century .castle by a,king, and, queen.qnd thejy court jind, the The knight's tmye.jput.iq an ekeiting (.ournanjent, ~ _ ' . ...The, court of the queen ..will be composed of .women, from area. It is the first time that thej Have participated in the Tattoo. For the second episode, the battle of vyaterloo has been chpsen. First you will see the Duchess of Richmond’s ball, at Brussels, on the eve of the battlethe, arrival oi the guests; the dancing in, the saloons;, and th'e htyripeU . departure of the Duke of Wellington for. the front. . Then the,scene changes to, the. battlefield and the last phase,. Napoleon’s , imperial, Guardfs, far exceeding ,in numbejr the British brigades of Adam, and'Maitland, make ihpir desperate, charge, . . ~... ,'

~,And, then 1914: the . arena of the threat-War in France gnd Belgium; in the,. background, the , tattei;ed ~ Cloth Hall of, Ynres, and the Cathedral flf Albert by the Sopime; the .destruction of tne glory of Ypres, and a tribute to little Belgium. Thus the lesson epds, BIGGEST MILITARY BAND

But not‘the Tattoo. There are other events hardly less inspiring. _ The massed pipers of six infantry battalions give a glimpse of the wTTd Highlands, with Gaeac clansmen, clothed in the garb of the past and carrying pine torches.

. . The. massed bugles, drums and bands of the infantry, cavajr.y, and artillery contributes, a joint spectacle concluding with a, .rendition of. “Aldershot,” the only, march ever, written for all inree types of band.. In numbers they will, be more than twice as large as any other military band in the world. The Tattoo will be brought towards us fine climax by a . march past of the 1914 troops and others to the familiar .tunes of the war. , Then the torchlight procession : wijl enter the darkened arena in the form of a giant serpent, which will afterwards break into six sections. Every performer will be present in the full glare o£ the searchlights for the closing scene, when “Abide With Me” will be sung with all solemnity, and then the National Anthem. ' i

The authorities are anxious '.that ticket-buyers should not wait for the last night, but book early if they hope to see the Tattoo The sale of seats thus far! has broken all records.

The merest shown by Dnninion and Colonial visitors is especially, remarkable. One. Australian who booked a block of 30. seats last year reserved them at that time for both this year and next.