Medieval Theatre

Miracle, Morality and Mystery

 Medieval Period 476-1500
• Collapse of Rome- All under Christianity- Roman Catholic Church profited
from Fall of Rome to Crusades (476-1095)-- Dark Ages
• Drama was taken away by the church (godless activity) , then came back through
the church as
• Liturgical (Church Service) Drama
• Tropes- embellishments sung during Mass- Done by Monks, priests, nuns
• Church goers loved it- it keeps building
• Adam- 1st “play” to be set outside of the church- on the steps
• Corpus Christi- a celebration of communion Feast and drama- like Greeks
• Procession and pageant- huge community festival
 Miracle Plays
• about Saints and their miracles.
• Filled in the gaps of the Bible
• Performed at Corpus Christi
• Henry VIII banned them during reformation of the church- nothing
extant
 Mystery Plays
• about the stories in the bible
• Performed at Corpus Christi
• Craft Guilds-Mastery/Mystery
• Craft Guilds would compete for production
• Became more secular as the guilds take over drama from the church
• Water Drawers- Noah’s Flood
• Elaborate representations
 Cycle Plays
• Many done in rounds
• Many plays spanning Creation to the Last Judgement
Mansions- wagons with a set on them to represent the scene
  Passion plays- Jesus crucifixion and resurrection
 Morality plays
• About man’s temptations of the world
• Relied on Allegory- giving abstract ideas physical representation
• Battles between vice and virtue- Dr. Faustus
• Dramatized sermon to teach a lesson