Medieval Theater

3 types Miracle plays Mystery plays Morality plays

Miracle plays “A miracle play presents a real or fictitious account of the life, miracles, or martyrdom of a saint. By 1200’s, they had been divorced from church services and were performed at public festivals. Almost all surviving miracle plays concern either the Virgin Mary or St. Nicholas, the 4th-century bishop of Myra in Asia Minor.” (Encyclopedia Brittanica online)

more “Both Mary and Nicholas had active cults during the Middle Ages, and belief in the healing powers of saintly relics was widespread.” Characters included “the devil, a woman falsely accused of murdering her own child, and a pregnant abbess.” “ Typical of these is a play called St. John the Hairy. At the outset the title character seduces and murders a princess. Upon capture, he is proclaimed a saint by an infant. He confesses his crime, whereupon God and Mary appear and aid John in reviving the princess, which done, the murderer saint is made a bishop.” (Encyclopedia Britannica online)

Why people knew Bible stories: medieval theater Nothing like we have Connected to the church

Mystery Plays Put on by guilds (= “mysteries”) On top of a wagon (which sometimes would be paraded into town) Told Biblical stories to illiterate people Very elaborate, involving hundreds of people Still ongoing in places like York and Chester

Wagons Sometimes quite simple

Wagon is brought in a parade

Evolved until it is more elaborate 2012 York Mystery Cycle What does this remind you of?

York mystery plays Each guild puts on one part, such as Guild of Goldsmiths – Coming of the 3 Kings Guild of Shipwrights – Building of the Ark Guild of Butchers – Death of Christ

The “stars” God Jesus Martyred saints Eve being tempted by Satan Fall of Adam Noah and the Ark

Elaborate Ark

Noah and family

Shepherds

The Life of Christ

Crucifixion of Christ

Second Shepherd’s Play Is also a mystery play 1385-1450 Written by the “Wakefield Master” – called a Master because his plays are so much better than any others written during that time. He used a poetic meter that was his alone and had his own rhyming style, too. He might have been a “minor cleric” (Jacobus 215). Master also wrote Noah and the Ark, the First Shepherd’s Play, Herod the Great, and The Buffeting.

Wakefield Cycle Always in late May to early June (Corpus Christi celebration) lasted all day long from sunrise to sunset Actors were amateurs who did the play on a wagon. Note that there are social issues mentioned, such as poverty, taxes, prices (Jacobus 216).

Morality Plays

First in Latin, then English Characters: Vices (Ignorance, Greed, Riot) Virtues (Humility, Good Deeds) The Devil

Battle between vices and virtues

Everyman A Morality play, around 1495 Author is anonymous but may have been a priest – what is the evidence? Allegory! – Each character has a distinctive name, costume, and props: Knowledge, Strength, Beauty, Death, Kindred, Goods, and so on. Lego movie of Everyman

Everyman may go to the devil A Simple Everyman Play

Everyman’s descendents Allegorical drama continues on: Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus, an Everyman who confronts the devil, angels, Temptation, etc. Shakespeare’s Falstaff, the Vice become real Al Bryan Lagman under the direction of Mark Ryan Hernandez – Filipino version which plays annually Superman and the comic heroes Who else?

And some non-religious plays, too