The North East Film Archive is one of a network of regional film archives established to collect, preserve and show film made in, or about the North East of England. Our collections are non-fiction, and date from the early 1900s to the present day, providing a rich record of life in the region over the 20th century. Many of our films are available to watch, free of charge, on our website.
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Historical Pageant of Newcastle and The North 1931
A cast of thousands re-enact 2,000 years of history at Leazes Park in Newcastle with star turns by Emperor Hadrian, Mary Queen of Scots and a mischievous sprite named Puck.
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Overview
A mischievous Puck with expressive dance talent opens an epic pageant of Northern history in July 1931. This memorable spectacle features striking characters, and costumes designed by Theo Maling. It was staged at Leazes Park in Newcastle upon Tyne with a cast of 6,000 performers drawn from three counties, including rough riders.
Over six days, a group of amateur filmmakers from the Newcastle and District Amateur Cinematographers Association recorded the event, though sadly in black and white. Kodachrome film was not introduced on the market for 16mm motion pictures until 1935 (although a lenticular additive colour film called Kodacolor was available in 1928), so we only see the magnificent costume in monochrome. Theo Maling was better known as a designer with her family’s pottery, Maling, which operated from 1762 to 1963, first in North Hylton, Sunderland, and later at Ouseburn Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne.
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