Medieval Theatre

Medieval Theatre Time frame: 5th c- mid 16th c Secular theatre died in Western Europe with the fall of Rome Theatrical performances were banned by the Roman Catholic Church as barbaric and pagan Most Roman theatre had been spectacle rather than literary drama

Roman Spectacle Gladiatorial combats Naval battles in a flooded Coliseum “Real-life” theatricals Decadent, violent and immoral All theatrical events were banned by the Church when Rome became Christianized

Drama in the Early Middle Ages 500-1000 Small groups of traveling performers – minstrels, jugglers, acrobats, bards, mimes, puppeteers -- went from town to town entertaining. They performed in taverns and at festivals for the commoners and at court for the nobility Festivals usually contained both pagan and Christian elements ( e.g. Halloween and Christmas celebrations )

Liturgical Drama The Roman Catholic Church was responsible for the rebirth of European theatre in the 10th –12th century All Europe had been converted to Christianity The Church needed ways to teach illiterate parishioners: cathedrals, stained glass windows, sculpture, painting and drama

The Last Supper from Chartres Cathedral

Liturgical Drama Religious rituals ( the mass, baptism, etc.) embody theatrical elements. Priests began to incorporate such elements into the gospel lessons of the mass. The first short plays were called tropes Written in Latin, these tropes were performed by the clergy during the mass.

The 3 M’s of Religious Drama Mystery plays: Biblical stories Miracle plays: saints’ lives Morality plays: allegories

Religious Vernacular Drama Vernacular: language spoken by the people To reach the commoners, the clergy began to translate the liturgical plays into vernacular languages As the plays became more elaborate, they were moved from the altar of the church to the church yard. As more roles were added, commoners were used as amateur actors

Mystery Plays Mystery: from French mystere -- secret. These plays told stories from the Bible—Moses, Noah, etc. In England, these Biblical plays were produced in cycles: a series of plays depicting Biblical history from the Creation to the Last Judgement. Also known as Cycle Plays. The cycles were usually performed at the religious festival of Corpus Christi -- in the spring or early summer. http://digital.films.com/play/WVSFDD

Mystery Plays performed by Trade Guilds While the plays were overseen by the Church, the performances were produced by the guilds of each town and mostly performed by amateur actors. Over 300 “actors” participated in 24 -48 plays Pageant Master=Director Secret Master = Special effects master

Mystery Plays performed by Trade Guilds Plays were often assigned to guilds associated with the subject matter of the play and became a kind of “advertisement” The Flood: Shipbuilders or Barrelmakers The Nativity: Shepherds The Magi: Goldsmiths http://digital.films.com/play/WVSFDD

Noah and the Flood

English Cycle Plays Each cathedral town had its own cycle: York Chester Wakefield N-town The Protestant Reformation brought a halt to the presentation of cycle plays as they incorporated Roman Catholic theology.                            

Modern Productions Chester Mystery Plays York Mystery Plays                                  Chester Mystery Plays York Mystery Plays B.J. Elvgren. Quilt: depicting scenes from Chester’s 14th century dramas set against modern city landmarks – Chester Cathedral

Dramatic Techniques English mystery plays incorporate a combination of high seriousness and low comedy: High seriousness: the Biblical stories of the Old Testament and Jesus’ life and mission Low comedy: the plays incorporate almost slapstick sketches of contemporary medieval daily life. EX: Wakefield Second Shepard’s Play http://digital.films.com/play/WVSFDD

“The Last Judgement” York Mystery Plays 2002 production

http://digital.films.com/play/WVSFDD

Staging the Plays STATIONARY (FRANCE, REST OF EUROPE) PROCESSIONAL (ENGLAND AND SPAIN) Pageant wagons would travel a set route and perform at several locations: like a parade or would be set up around a town square and the audience would travel from one wagon to the next to see the performances STATIONARY (FRANCE, REST OF EUROPE) Mansions or a series of stages would be set up around the town square Anchored at either end by Heaven and Hell Elaborate special effects such as floods, flying and fiery pits were very popular

Building a Pageant Wagon

Pageant wagon

Pageant wagon

Mansions and Hell Mouth

Miracle Plays Miracle plays were similar to mystery plays in dramatic techniques Dramatized the lives of Roman Catholic saints The most popular subjects were the Virgin Mary (plays usually written in Latin) St. George (dragon slayer and patron saint of England) St. Nicholas ( associated with Christmas festivities)

The Summoning of Everyman: Production Morality Plays Theme: how to live a Christian life and be saved. Allegory: A story told on two levels: the literal and the the symbolic Plot: a journey through life or to death Emphasis switches from Biblical and saintly protagonists to the common man: Everyman, Mankind, etc.                                      LEGO EVERYMAN The Summoning of Everyman: Production

Folk Plays Often performed at such holidays as Christmas, New Year and May Day Incorporated remnants of pagan rituals Mummers, Morris Dancers, etc. Robin Hood was one of the most popular heroes Feast of Fools: Fool companies consisted of young men, who played gross comedies and created nonsensical and often bawdy travesties on the Mass. These boisterous "Feasts" predate most of the mysteries, and may have been reverent in their origin Feast of Fools: The third class, the Fool companies, consisted of bands of youths--a sort of under-ground clique--sometimes organized under a secret code, whose chief business it was to play gross comedies and to execute nonsensical and often ribald travesties on the Mass. These companies existed all over Europe and England, and gained immunity for their ribaldry by their popularity, their anonymity, and their audacity. Mantzius says: "They satirized the Mass, turned the church into a ballroom, and the altar into a bar." These boisterous "Feasts" antedate most of the mysteries, and may have been reverent in their origin

Mummers

Dramatic Techniques Theatre was performed in found spaces: town squares, taverns, churches, banquet halls -- no specifically designated theatres Theatre was intimate -- audience interacted with performers Elaborate special effects Characterization was often dependent upon costume and makeup

Medieval Theatre