Medieval Theatre History Medieval Theatre Often called The

Medieval Theatre History

Medieval Theatre �Often called – The Dark Ages �Not really a correct title �start: Rome’s fall 476 AD �end: 15 th Century � 400 years no organized theatre - jugglers - traveling minstrels �Catholic Church had total control of drama and art for a 1000 years

Medieval Theatre �The first theatre started in the church: called- tropes - drama scenes performed during the mass - common people were illiterate - started as tableaus still scenes from the Bible done at Christmas and Easter

Medieval Theatre �The next style of church drama was the pantomime �Then dialogue was added to the church dramas - at first spoken in Latin - then spoken in native language

Medieval Theatre- Mansions �New style: Mansions or Stations �Theatre moved outside of the church to the courtyard �Crowds moved from station to station �Plays performed: Mystery- Bible stories of Christ Miracle-Stories of the Saints Morality- Stories of Right and Wrong

Mystery Play �Acted out the stories of Christ’s life �Still performed today in parts of England Germany

Morality Play �teaching right and wrong �telling people how to have a good life �Famous Morality Play: Everyman Note: we will be reading this

Miracle Plays �The lives of saints in the church �still acted today in England

Medieval Theatre � 10 th Century � Hell’s Mouth � playwright: � considered to be Hrosvitha -wrote comedies -moved outside of church -too much action for insid e � staging in courtyard � special effects used terrifying � showed tortured souls � featured realistic screams

Medieval Theatre �shows an outdoor play with Hell’s Mouth and demons to scare the viewers into being better people

Feast of Fools � Church festivals were run by younger priest � Other stories done by trade guilds bakers- feeding 5000 Noah’s ark- ship builders � removed from church � some of characters were too much like older priest � poked fun at superiors

Pageant Wagons- Cycle Plays � double-decker wagons that traveled from town to town � resembled parade floats � still done in York Wakefield Chester Coventry � Each new scene on different wagon

Pictures of Pageant Wagons

Passion Plays �Depict the life of �Performed: Christ �first started as a promise to God to have town spared from the Black Plagues of the Dark Ages � in Germany �in Spearfish, SD

Major Changes the Dark Ages brought to Theatre �viewers closer to the stage �acting and dialogue both became important �mixed comic and serious scenes in the same play �more theatre for the common man