1. Middle Ages 476 AD - 1450s AD

2. Fall of the Roman Empire

3. Early Middle Ages

4. High Middle Ages

5. The Feudal System King Lord Vassal Serfs Crown Church Illiterate Literate (Latin)

6. Late Middle Ages

7. Medieval Theatre A Light in the “Dark Ages”

8. The Roman Leftovers Mime Pantomime Dance Musicians Tumblers Wrestlers Gladiators

9. The Church The Germanic conquerors tried to suppress all remnants of Roman theatre, but what remained were pagan festivals The Church tried suppress pagan festivals and failed The Church then took these festivals and gave them Christian significance

10. The Church Uses Theatre as a Tool Around the 11th or 12th century, the Church began to use theatre to teach its members about moral law and the life of Jesus Feasts like Christmas, Corpus Christi, and Easter had festivals which used theatre as a tool to instruct

11. Types of Plays Liturgical Drama (Easter) Mystery Plays (Corpus Christi) Saint’s/Miracle Plays (Local Festivals) Morality Plays (Everyman) Farce (Late Medieval in France) Humanist Drama (Very end of Medieval)

12. Liturgical Drama Performed in Latin Mansions - small scenic structures for indicating location (could be several of these) Platea - general acting area Church structure usually serves as the mansions Machinery was also used Costumes were probably church vestments

13. Staging of Plays

14. Theatre and Community Fraternities (Chambers of Rhetoric) Festivals Civic Pride Social Institution

15. Other Types of Theatre Mumming Mimicry Sword Dances Maying Interludes

16. Fall of Medieval Theatre The Protestant Church The Printing Press Rise of Learning in University Advances in Science