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First
performed almost 700 years ago, Chester’s Mystery Plays originally
date back to the 14th century. These series of plays recreate the
iconic stories from the Bible, from the Creation with Adam and Eve
through the life of Christ to the hell-fire of the Last Judgement.
Taken from both the Old and New Testaments they deliver their
powerful messages in a dramatic manner, yet studded with humour,
music and magic.
As well
a delivering their powerful Christian messages in a dramatic and
entertaining manner, they also help to capture a snapshot of what
life was like back in the 14th century. At that time all church
services were conducted in Latin by the learned men of ‘the cloth’,
which left the great unwashed a little left out and excluded.
It was
the monks at the Abbey of St Werburgh (now Chester Cathedral) who
had the bright idea of enacting stories from the Bible to help those
who couldn't otherwise follow or understand. This proved such a
crowd pleaser that they were soon packing them in, so much so that
eventually this proved too disruptive and the plays had to be moved
outside the abbey, at which time the individual companies of Chester
Guilds adopted them.
The Freemen and Guilds of Chester
were a united group of shopkeepers, trades folk and
professionals that had already been in existence for more than 100
years at that time. They represented a powerful force in the city,
protecting the interests and welfare of fellow merchants and
craftsmen whilst playing a major part in social, political and
economic life. Their influence extended to organising major events,
one of which became Chester Mystery Plays.
Individual guilds staged the plays on open pageant wagons. For
example, the Grocers, Bakers and Millers performed The Last Supper,
and the Ironmongers undertook The Crucifixion. Each wagon trundled
through the streets to ‘stations' where the audience gathered. The
first station was outside Abbey Gate - audiences today pass through
the same place to see the modern version of the plays.
Romans
and Herod, Chester Mystery Plays
The
powerful performance of these plays delivered in a language that all
could understand, laced with wit and humour and staged on lavishly
decorated wagons, became the highlight of the Feast of Corpus
Christi. The event proved so popular that still later, around 1521,
it was stretched to cover the three days of Whitsuntide, Whit
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Few town guilds in medieval Britain were so rich and
powerful as to be able to afford
such pageantry but of those who did, original scripts survive from
only five cities, Chester's being the most comprehensive with a
near-complete text of 24 plays.
Twenty-three of the ancient company guilds scripts, the originals of
which were assembled by monastic scholars at the Abbey of St
Werburgh, survive today. Follow this link to
view the plays performed by the individual guilds as recorded in
1540.
During the Reformation such plays
were considered ‘Popery’ and consequently banned by the new Church
of England. Despite this ban, the plays were performed in 1568 and
again in 1575. Chester’s major at the time was subsequently summoned
to London to explain himself. He escaped punishment and with the
support of the council he was freed.
Revived
in 1951 for the Festival of Britain, the plays have since been
staged every five years on Cathedral Green in the heart of this
2,000-year-old walled city. Next taking place from 26th June – 19th
July 2008, they represent a rare chance to witness the entire
unfolding of the greatest story ever told.
May Magdalen and Jesus, CMP 2003
With kind permission & courtesy of Chester Mystery Plays
Perhaps
the best known of the Chester plays is the story of Noah and the
Great Flood, traditionally acted by the Drawers of the Dee,
otherwise known as the watercarriers. A little on the sexist side
perhaps for modern taste, it tells the story of Noah and his sons
busy loading the ark whilst his wife is otherwise occupied gossiping
to the neighbours. Despite Noah urging her to hurry up she continues
to gossip on. Eventually the sons end up carrying her, still
gossiping, into the ark and God signals to all with a Rainbow that
mankind has suffered enough for its sinful deeds.
Plays as performed by the Freemen & Guilds of
Chester in 1540
|
Mystery Play |
Guilds |
|
The
Fall of Lucifer |
The
Barkers and Tanners |
|
The
Creation of the World |
The
Drapers and Hosiers |
|
Noah
and his Ship |
The
Waterleaders and Drawers in the Dee |
|
Abraham and Isaac |
The
Barber Surgeons and Waxchandlers |
|
Balak
and Balam |
The
Cappers, Wiredrawers and Pinners |
|
The
Nativity |
The
Wheelrights, Slaters, Tylers, Daubers and Thatchers |
|
The
Shepherds |
The
Painters, Glaziers and Embroiderers |
|
King
Herod (Adoration of the Magi) |
The
Vintners |
|
The
Three Kings |
The
Mercers and Spicers |
|
Slaughter of the Innocents |
The
Goldsmiths and Masons |
|
Purification of Our Lady |
The
Smiths, Forbers and Pewterers |
|
The
Temptation & Woman taken into Adultery |
The
Butchers |
|
Raising of Lazarus |
The
Glovers and Parchment-makers |
|
The
Coming of Christ to Jerusalem |
The
Corvisars |
|
The
Last Supper |
The
Grocers, Bakers and Millers |
|
The
Scourging of Christ |
The
Bowyers, Fletchers, Stringers, Coopers and Turners |
|
The
coming of the Antichrist |
The
Dyers |
|
The
Crucifixion |
The
Ironmongers and Ropers |
|
Harrowing of Hell |
The
Cooks, Tapsters, Ostlers and Innkeepers |
|
The
Resurrection |
The
Skinners, Plastercard-makers, Hatters, Painters and
Girdlers |
|
Castle of Emmaus & the Apostles |
The
Saddlers |
|
The
Ascension |
The
Tailors |
|
Whitsunday Making of the Creed |
The
Fishmongers |
|
Prophets before the Day of Doom |
The
Shermen |
|
Antichrist |
The
Hewsters and Bellfounders |
|
The
Last Judgement |
The
Weavers and Walkers |
For
more information concerning the plays, (dates, tickets etc.) please follow the link below;
www.chestermysteryplays.com
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a wide variety of accommodation in the Chester area, please
click here
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