Wednesday 20 April 2011

Proscribing Processions

I've been having some thoughts about the procession at the start of Acts of Worship.

You see, when we line up and process in with the botsalifers and the acolytes at the front, then the wavers of peacock feathers and then the gladiators, the Ring-Bearer, a zither-player, the junior druids then Hnaef and finally myself - it kind of makes me look important. Which obviously is nice, but is that where the focus should be?

So we have experimented with the idea that Hnaef and I should be at the front. Gives a nice impression - the idea that, as Archdruid and her Executive Assistant, we should be leading from the front. Taking awkward decisions, meeting trouble and danger on your behalf, being the first to approach obstacles... well, you can see why we decided against that. No-brainer.

So then we played around with the "just bimble in and sit down" approach.  But when you did that, nobody every knew whether we'd really started, or whether we'd pick up the tea light, paper clip or sermon notes that we'd come to fetch and go back out again.

So I think we've really cracked it this time. We've put all the equipment in place, and relocated the Druidry Room to a mezzanine in the roof space of the Moot Hall. We're going to be lowered gently down straight onto our thrones while strapped into theatrical flying harnesses. That should combine simplicity, decorum and humility in equal measure. And it's going to be great fun, as well.

3 comments :

  1. Do remember the dry ice smoke machine. You can buy one here: http://www.smokemachines.net/buy-le-maitre-pea-souper.shtml

    My old vicar saw Benny Hinn coming through smoke onto the stage in a white suit at Hinn's church in the US and it made a big impact on him!

    I'm sure the dry ice smoke will really add to the drama of it all.

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  2. Don't forget to check your harnesses before 'take-off'. There may be ambitious druids among your followers.

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  3. Will, last time we used dry ice we nearly choked the liturgical dancers...

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