Medieval Theatre

1. Medieval Theatre History of Theatre 900-1500 AD

2. Modern Perspective • International in scope and religious in nature • Began as a springtime religious observance • Celebrated common mythos- the Old and New Testaments of the Bible

3. The York Cycle • Actors would get in costume and hop on wagons • Crowds were gather in the streets to watch them pass • The wagons would often have two levels to portray heaven and hell

5. The Procession • The wagons paraded through town, stopping before the homes of dignitaries • Each wagon is responsible for the telling of a biblical tale • This took place every year on Corpus Christi Day • Began with “The Creation and Fall of Lucifer • Ended with “The Judgment Day”

6. Corpus Christi Day • A feast day that celebrates The Last Supper • Primarily came about from a nun named Juliana of Liege • actual date of Corpus Christi changes each year

7. Conditions of Performance • It was a religious theatre, therefore its bookings, costumes, dialogue and staging came from the Church calendar

8. Background • After the fall of Rome, and before the renaissance, the time is called Middle Ages. • A very active time as cathedrals were built, the crusades occurred, and kingdoms were divided and conquered • The foundations for modern languages were laid during this time

9. Background continued • The Church was extremely opposed to any other type of theatre due to the mimes. They still did exist though. • The Church developed its own dramatic ceremonies to combat the appeal of pagan rights • Pagans believed in multiple gods. (i.e.. The Ancient Greeks)

10. Religious and Civic Purposes • The Church felt dramatized episodes made moral lessons more graphic and easier to understand. • The Church calendar provided several holidays to develop theatre • Drama remained inside the Church Walls for 200 years • The first ever play was called Quen Quaeritis

11. Quem Quaritis • 3 women looking to dress the corpse of Christ • Find out from an angel that Christ has risen • Shows grief turning into joy

12. Management • Some major changes began to take place by 1400 • Short religious plays were put together to make longer plays • Were staged during Spring and Summer • Everyday language replaced Latin • Regular people replaced clergy as the actors and producers

13. Festival Theatre • The church still had to approve • Between 1350-1500 Medieval theatre flourished • Clergy began to reduce its participation • Towns began to finance and produce the festivals • Producers oversaw everything, they got choirs, nobles loaned costumes, meals were prepared and lodging was provided. Laborers built the staging. Basically the whole community helped

14. Playwriting • Anonymous • Clergy wrote the four-line playlets • Later the dialogue was expanded • As it became more elaborate, more playwrights were recruited • This opened the door for professional playwrights

15. Acting and Rehearsing • Rehearsals took place over months • Held between dawn and beginning of the work day • Actors were fined for lateness, not knowing lines or being drunk • Multiple playlets were rehearsed at the same time

16. Actors • Some received fees • At first it was to reimburse the actors • Late 1600’s began to see professional actors • Very few women performed in medieval plays • Only exceptions were for female Saints • There were two reasons: male hierarchy and trained choir boys had better projection

18. Visual Elements

19. Staging • Were performed on fixed or movable stages • The fixed stage was usually against buildings on one side of town square, or in an amphitheatre • The movable stages were wagons • Usually broken into three parts from left to right Hell, Earth, and Heaven • Nothing was depicted in its entirety. Very little illusion of a real place.

20. Special Effects • Producers gave great attention to “secrets” • Examples included Hell issuing fire, smoke and cries of the damned, trapdoors, pulleys and ropes. • Due to this we began to see semiprofessionals begin to develop for scenery and special effects

21. Costumes and Props • Two types of garments: ecclesiastical robes and everyday clothes • Accessories such as wings were added • Props were used to identify characters i.e. sword, mirror, snakes etc..) • Heaven reps dressed to awe • Hell reps dressed to scar • Common humans dressed according to rank • Great detail went into designing the devil

22. Music • Music was prevalent in medieval theatre • Heavenly scenes featured beautiful choruses • Trumpets’ announced god • Vocal and Instrumental music bridged intermission. • Singing was down by choirboys and actors • Instruments were played by professionals

23. Popular Entertainments

24. Mummings • Masquerade balls • Related to drama due to disguise, processions and need for a spokesperson • In time it included music, song, dance, scenery, and texts. • Usually a mumming play would end with the collection of money to pay for refreshments and local charities

25. Street Pageants • When dignitaries would come to town they would set up stages all along the street • Clerks and children would then address them with songs and speeches • This provided a sense of civic pride

26. The Audience • Spectators came from surrounding towns and countryside – all classes came • Posters were put up on city gates and invitations were sent out to neighboring towns • A trumpeter rode through town announcing the events • Work was forbidden during performance time • Most were free, however in some of Europe there was a fee