GREAT CHURCH PAGEANT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXIV, Issue 9419, 15 April 1909, Page 7

GREAT CHURCH PAGEANT.

5000 AOTORS ON ONE STAGE. London, February 26. A glimpse “behind the scenes” of the organisation work necessaiy m preparing the great Ohoroh -pageant which, is to take place in the grounds - of Fulham Palace on June 10th was given by Mr Frank Lasoelles, the master of the ceremonies. _ ■. . “My oompan,” he said, will comprise about 5000 amateur actors and actresses. The Oxford pageant was the largest held iu this country before'. At Quebec last year I had ' nearly 500 C people. But this one Will, I think, establish a world s record.” Counting the members of local committees aud the 5000 women who are making the costumes, the munber-of people actively interested i« the pageant is over 13,000. Mr Lasoelles described how the 6000 performers will be rehearsed. “In such a scene as that representing Augustine’s arrival in Britain, leaders of groups will b fe 9 Say there will be 500 or 600 actual performers. Fifteen of them will be group leaders, heading parties or bishops, monks, courtiers, and fishermen. It is these leaders that I shall first instruct, taking them to the ground and showing them the ■ „ movements of their parties, entrances and exits. Then they will return to theit districts, and instruct their followers. By this system I shall not need more than five rehearsals of the whole army of per formers, two for perfecting concerted movements, and three dress rehearsals. Mistakes at rehearsals 1 shall be .able to correct by shonting through a giant megaphone. “At the actual performances 1 .shall be perched, unseen by theaudx--ence, in a little box upon the top of the grandstand. At Quebec I con trolled the entrances and exits of the host of players by means of forty-two telephones. In this case 1 shall probably need onore. In a grand finale, which will take place after darkness has fallen, the whole of the 5000 people will. be massed together to sing the Te Deum, the eoene- being illuminated by thirty powerful searchlights. This should be a memorable spectacle. ’ ’