British Film Institute

At the Sherborne Pageant of 1905, nine hundred people descended on Sherborne Castle to recreate moments from the Dorset town's history. This valuable film documents that day and shows how the locals were transformed into kings, queens, knights, monks and even one Sir Walter Raleigh, each dressed in detailed historical costume. Men, women and children of all ages perform scenes dating back to the Middle Ages, all with such sincerity that a death scene becomes genuinely solemn and a battle genuinely ferocious; only a glimpse of men in contemporary clothing disrupts the illusion. Since the film offers no titles to help explain the action, viewers without specific local historical knowledge would have been largely in the dark about the events depicted, but could still enjoy the spectacle.

The combination of surprisingly naturalistic performances, convincing costumes and actual locations create the illusion of a genuine glimpse into the distant past. Yet the pageant was itself to become historically significant. Created by playwright Louis Napoleon Parker, it was the first of what became a trend for local historical pageants - including several written by Parker himself - over the years that followed, and one that continues to this day.

Christian Hayes

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