Category Archives: Theater

Many towns and cities in Europe also put on plays for Corpus Christi Day, but they didn’t evolve in the peripatetic-wagon direction that northern England did. Instead, they created temporary, then increasingly permanent, theaters in large public squares. As the … Continue reading →

There are four York plays devoted to the end of Mary’s life: her death, her burial, her soul’s rising into heaven (the Assumption), and her coronation as Queen of Heaven. While these events were not strictly part of the story … Continue reading →

The main story of Corpus Christi day closed with the Ascension of Jesus into heaven, some plays about Mary that I’ll get to next, and last and at the very end of time: Judgment Day. The last stories had a … Continue reading →

Five fairly short plays comprise the scenes that show us Jesus’ rising from the dead. Dramatically, they are all anti-climactic after the cross and the harrowing of Hell. The Resurrection is not shown by a sudden appearance; it is discussed … Continue reading →

“The Harrowing of Hell” is a story based on only two short lines in the New Testament, but there was an apocryphal Gospel that fleshed the whole thing out in a dramatic way, perfect for a play. The two lines … Continue reading →

The central event of Jesus’ death on the cross was broken into two plays. The Guild of Pinners shared with the Painters the responsibility for producing the play in which Jesus is nailed to the cross, “Crucifixio Christi,” while the … Continue reading →

“The Entry into Jerusalem” depicts Jesus’ entry on a donkey’s colt while crowds cry “Hosanna!” The guild responsible in the registry was the Skinners, and I can’t help thinking it was because they might skin a mule, so they were … Continue reading →

We’re missing several of York’s plays for key events in the life of Jesus; all of the guilds were required to keep a script on file at the city registry and update them as needed, but over time, some scripts … Continue reading →

“The Transfiguration” shows a mysterious, singular event in Jesus’ life when he and a few disciples were alone, praying, and suddenly the disciples could see that Elijah and Moses had come to speak to Jesus. Instead of seeing their dusty, … Continue reading →