New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
THE DOVER PAGEANT
"A Folk Play Attuned to a CdrnOat
of Peace.

- form TODAY by the master or the ART
= 1ou,s n Parker. having originated at
--,o-,orne a folk play in costume to Illustrate
,,4,-.csl episodes with local color, improved
.-,,n his first work subsequently at Warwick
d., Ct Fdmunds, and has refined the
..sses stir further at Dover While he re-
.a,-s his Greek adaptaticn-the narrative
x-,S for forecasting and interpreting events
:. fsvcrs comedy rather than tragedy, ana
a.. ,-ocessions. court functions and stately
- holds a merry rout. enlivened with
80 and good cheer. The Dover pageant
a +hx brightest and most entertaining Of the
- and with eighty knights Of the Round
-.b,e 70 recite Mr. James Rhoades's lyrics
..h g trInefui mixed chorus, with an orchestra
q o,e hundred musicians and with two thou
- r,eu drilled performers. 1t is produced
..h na,nstaking care and splendid statehness-
:. .s characterized by unity Of design the cpl
zs separated by centuries being woven to-
thor into a consistent and beautiful faor1c-
rrhs main theme is the independence OF Dover
.Ao tev Of liberty loving England and the
-r,,old Of sea power This naturally in
- as a variant the close relations between
--,and and France. The secondary theme,
.-s.esd N being treated in a militant spirit is
.,o-ad t,v the amenities OF the entente cor
-, THE pazeant lacks action and discoses
+-and toward musical comedy. but there are
g.. i,nnersonations Of character and some OF
-. snAc.acular effects are magnificent
The college grounds, with an early English
-svav and the crumbling wall Of q Benedic-
- abbev have supplied open air theatre
.,nusr TO the one at Bury St Edmunds- 1t
- -o- enabled horrsenen 10 dash in at high
.e5 as At the Pevensey hippodrome but IT
+ss been large enough TO accommodate an au-
6;ence Of five thousand spectators and to leave
.ror,e suace for massing host Of performers
= =. anel scene. The seven episodes are con-
--ecte5 nv passages OF narrative chorus so as TO
;, ,f-tuaTv continuous While the elder
1zn.q,ts of the Round Table are droning their
,,-fcs one set Of performers is disappearing
o-,onT The trees and another is gathering from
-. rings for fight TO another century Such
,.,;on as there is does not halt. and it is
frightened BY vivacious comedy and harmoni-
o,s blends Of color in the costumes. There is
x-arjesated color in incessant motion Mr. Par
Eer does not allow his performers TO stand stil
and stifen their arms. There is uninterrupted
bvplay Of gesture and pose from the moment
when they emerge from the trees, SO that the
suarklng glints of color in the background are
constantly flashing and paling in sunlight and
shadow. The orchestra is admirably led and
the choruses are delightfully."- sung. AS this is
Nj Parkers fourth pageant he has 70 be on
of Dr71ids Romans. Normans, Saxons. Danes,
monks nuns courtiers and royalties. 1t is also
an era Of peace. when Frenchmen not 10 be
xantonly reminded Of historic sieges and bat
ties Il has been polite 10 have little fight
ing as possible and 70 introduce the Shakespear-
tan love scene from Henry v" also to secure
the cooperation OF 4 French poet, Louis Tierce-
LIN, n Illustrating the meeting Of Charles and
Princess Henrietta Maria
The pageant opens with q muster of King Ar
thur and his knights, the death Of Gawain, the
arrival OF an embassy from Roman Emperor,
the defiant refusal Of tribute and the advance
against Mordred ar Barham Downs It is
most effective episode. with fine contrasts OF cos
tune and armor in the groups Of knights and
Roman soldiers, with eloquent passages OF in
vectiye between ambassador and king, and
dramatic moment when the dying Gawain, the
flower OF knighthood after Lancelot. exclaims
that he sees the Holy Grail. and his comrades
kneel reverently and company OF mourning
women come in to give him worshipfUl burial
AS Dover had repelled the invading Romans, so
also Il had dictated its own terms when William
Of Normandy crossed the sea, and the proud
word 'Tnvicta'' is the summary Of the second
episode. It starts off quietly. with maidens and
sossips chatting over their spinning wheels and
ernbroideries, and q song from OF them
Eustace Of Boulogne, with drunken jewellers,
Wantonly arronts them, and the men Of Dover
spring 10 their defence, and Earl Goodwin inter
renes as their champion The Archbishop Of
Canterbury warns them that King Harold has
been slain and that they must fight for their
ancient liberties, and when William Of Nor
mandy enters with mounted retinue and soldiers
OF foot he finds them warlike that he makes
peace with them on honorable terms and POUNDS
&, g. Nd
where the pageant is enacted. This is most
stirring episode, closing with procession Of the
Cinque Ports. headed by barons, baiIifs and
monks
When the chorus. with strident note and blare
OF trumpet, has given warning OF a detestable
sovereign. who makes treason virtue. loyalty
crime" King John becomes the central figure.
When HIS insolence, rapacity and cruelty have
been denoted by various incidents he is disei-
plned by the masterful Cardinal Pandolf the
Papal legate, and forced to give up his crown
and 70 receive It again with every indignity
ouired by feudaI vassalage. An excellent anna
teur actor with commanding personality i'm
parts dramatic force to the Cardinals lines, and
he King IS left groy cling at the foot of the
throne- In z transport Of ungOvernabie anger
he monarch orders hermit, Peter Of Pomfret,
10 be whipped at the tail Of a cart and TO be led
TO execution, and the barons are incited to rise
against the treacherous despOt. This stirring
act closes with e glimpse Of Hubert de Burgh
holding the castle against the barons, founding
the Maison Dieu for pilgrims journeying to
Canterbury and building ship for resisting at
tack from warlike monk Of Boulogne.
The chorus in the succeeding interludes be
comes more melodiCus. for fl recounts the
turn Of Edward I from the Crusades with
Queen Eleanor, the wooing OF Kate by Henry
in Shakespearian phrasing and the genial