Pageant to mark Festival of Britain

"A memorable chapter has been added to the life of Malvern by this Pageant in Priory Park. Last Friday saw the opening performance, and the closing one was given last night (Thursday).

"The pageant, in which 500 people took part each evening, presented an impressive kaleidoscope of Malvern's history from pre-historic times to the modern age of radar. The performers in the nine episodes appeared and vanished as if by magic to give the effect of the passing of time to a dreamer sitting beneath the trees in the park.

"Following the prologue, written by Worcester dramatist and school-master Edgar Billingham whose idea the pageant originally was - the first episode showed primitive inhabitants successfully battling with a "dragon" and invasions by Romans, Saxons and Danes.

"Succeeding episodes dealt with contests between Normans and Saxons, a Mediaeval Fair during the life of William Langland, author of the poem "Piers Plowman," and the threatened destruction of Malvern Priory by order of Henry VIII, it being purchased by the townsfolk for 100 crowns.

''Then came the battle of Powick between Cavaliers and Roundheads during the English Civil War, to be followed by the re-enactment of an 18th Century prize-fight, and a reminder of a visit by Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.

''Another episode highlighted the importance of the Malvern festivals which brought George Bernard Shaw and Sir Edward Elgar to the hillside town annually for several years. The concluding episode depicted Winston Churchill and Anthony Eden discussing the setting up of the all-important wartime radar establishment at Malvern.

"The pageant was produced by George Sayer and was under the overall direction of Miss Gwen Lally as Pageant Master. For the first time in any pageant, modern science was brought into play with the use of 'dubbed' sound throughout, thanks to expert engineers of the town's radar establishments."