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Malvern, Worcestershire: Parade (1993)


 

Malvern Festival May 1993 - henryhvideofan on YouTube


Recorded in May 1993, we see the town's residents turn out for the parade. Behind the floats, you can often see the town's local businesses of the time.


Everyone seen in the video will be a generation older now!


The Malvern Festival was a major cultural event in the town of Great Malvern, Worcestershire, primarily dedicated to the works of the playwright George Bernard Shaw and the composer Sir Edward Elgar. Established in 1929, it was one of the most prestigious arts festivals in the United Kingdom during the interwar years, intended to be a British equivalent to the Salzburg Festival in Austria.


1. Origins and the Shaw Connection

The festival was founded by Sir Barry Jackson, the director of the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. Jackson was a close friend of George Bernard Shaw, and he envisioned the festival as a permanent summer home for Shaw’s plays.


  • 1929 Launch: The festival opened on August 19, 1929. The debut season was entirely dedicated to Shaw, featuring a cycle of his plays including the world premiere of The Apple Cart.

  • The "Shaw" Period: For the first decade, Shaw was the dominant figure. He spent his summers in Malvern, and the festival became the primary platform for his new work. A famous photograph of the era shows Shaw, Jackson, and Elgar walking through the Malvern Hills, representing a unique intersection of British drama and music.


2. The Elgar Association

While Shaw provided the theatrical core, Sir Edward Elgar provided the musical soul. Elgar was a local man, born in nearby Broadheath, and his music was inextricably linked to the landscape of the Malvern Hills.

  • Musical Programming: The festival frequently programmed Elgar’s orchestral works and choral masterpieces. Elgar was a regular attendee at the theatrical performances and often hosted social gatherings for the performers and writers.

  • A "Total Art" Experience: The combination of cutting-edge drama and late-romantic music against the backdrop of the Victorian spa town created a sophisticated atmosphere that attracted an international, well-educated audience.


3. The Venue: Malvern Theatres

The heart of the festival was the Malvern Festival Theatre (now part of the Malvern Theatres complex). Situated in the Priory Park, the theater was specifically renovated and expanded to accommodate the technical demands of Shaw’s larger productions. During the festival weeks, the town’s hotels, parks, and Winter Gardens were filled with actors, critics, and intellectuals.


4. Evolution and Post-War Decline

The original era of the festival was interrupted by the Second World War in 1939.

  • Post-War Attempts: There were several attempts to revive the festival in the late 1940s and 1950s. While some successful seasons occurred, the specific synergy of Jackson, Shaw, and Elgar was difficult to replicate. Shaw died in 1950, and Jackson’s interests shifted back toward Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon.

  • The 1970s Revival: In 1977, the festival was officially revived as an annual event. This new iteration focused heavily on the heritage of Elgar and Shaw but also introduced a broader range of music, dance, and literature.


5. The Modern Legacy

By the late 1990s, the "Malvern Festival" as a single, multi-week event began to fragment. The Malvern Theatres underwent a massive £10 million redevelopment in 1997-98, transitioning into a year-round venue for major touring productions rather than a single seasonal festival.


Today, the spirit of the Malvern Festival lives on through:

  • The Elgar Festival: An annual event held in Worcester and Malvern specifically celebrating the composer.

  • The Malvern Theatres Program: The theater continues to host "Shaw Seasons" and high-quality drama, maintaining the high standards set by Barry Jackson.

  • The Autumn Show and RHS Malvern: While these are horticultural, they carry on the tradition of the town as a site for large-scale public gatherings.

In summary, the Malvern Festival was a world-class experiment in regional arts, proving that a small English spa town could become a global center for intellectual and artistic excellence. It remains a defining chapter in the history of British theater and music.


Helpful Links about Malvern Festival:

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Location: Malvern, UK

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