FLASHBACK
Scots spectacular was festival triumph
IT IS still the biggest success the Arts Festival has had, pulling in 80,000 ticket sales and leaving people reminiscing about it for years. The visit from the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in 2000 led to a record $2.7 million profit and attracted hordes of eager pipe fans to the capital over four nights in the largest show the festival has yet held.
The annual tattoo takes place in Edinburgh each August, but after a series of meetings with Arts Festival organisers, it was agreed to bring the full tattoo to Westpac Stadium in the first performance to take place outside Britain.
With Scottish roots running deep in New Zealand’s history, the tattoo was the perfect way to celebrate the new millennium, festival executive director Sue Paterson says.
‘‘We were looking an event that signified New Zealand’s connection with the rest of the world, particularly through the two world wars.
‘‘The Edinburgh Military Tattoo fitted that perfectly.
‘‘At first it seemed like an ambitious task, but the festival team went about making it a reality.’’
Bringing the full 300-person performance to Wellington was a risky move for the Arts Festival, but it paid off in spades, Ms Paterson says.
Set designer Martin Streeter helped to pull together the setting, building a scale replica of Edinburgh Castle in the middle of Westpac Stadium.
‘‘It was a big task, no doubt. Getting that castle was one of the tattoo’s requirements to come to Wellington, so we had to make it happen,’’ Mr Streeter said.
Building the replica castle out of wood, metal and fabrics took three months, with special lighting and towers also built.
‘‘I just remember there were a lot of bloody stairs in that castle. I spent weeks going up and down, trying to get everything in good order. But seeing it finally rising up over the stadium was a really memorable moment.’’