Pace Egging

Bury

April 2007

The Bury Pace Eggers perform at Easter each year and nominate a charity to receive the money they raise from their street performances. Pancreatic Cancer Research was chosen as their charity for 2007.

The Pace Egg play has its roots far back in our national folklore culture of mumming plays, travelling fairs and local entertainers. It can be traced back through English and European mummers' plays to ancient Egypt and Syria. A mixture of pagan rebirth ceremony and the later influences of Christianity and the Crusades, the text of the Pace Egg has been passed down orally over the years and was at one time performed by the village boys for coppers or eggs at Easter time. Many plays involve the wearing of fantastic costumes and the blacking of faces to conceal identity. After the play, a collection is usually taken from the audience.

Francis Roe, a member of the Bury Pace Eggers, told us, "The Bury Pace Eggers had a successful and enjoyable Easter Tour, and we are pleased to have raised £1,000 for Pancreatic Cancer Research Fund."