Medieval marvels restored to life

Jun 13 2009 by Barbara Hodgson, The Journal

It’s bit of a mystery why it ever ended, but now a centuries-old tradition makes a return to Durham – and local people can play their part. Barbara Hodgson reports

THEY were commonplace throughout medieval Europe and, like often-repeated children’s stories, proved something of a comfort in uncertain times.

Mystery Plays were among the earliest of dramas – reaching their popularity peak in the 15th Century – and, for the illiterate majority, they were a means of telling Bible stories.

Differing from Miracle Plays, which were based on the lives of saints, Mystery Plays were simple re-enactments of major events in the Christian calendar, from the Creation to the Day of Judgment, and were performed in cycles on festival days.

As in many centres of Christian faith, they were part of the historical make-up of Durham before falling out of favour while professional theatre was on the up.

They’ve been revived, however, in places such as York and Chester – and are now to make a come-back in Durham too, with local writers invited to come up with 10 modern interpretations.

Gala Theatre’s Simon Stallworthy will take on the role of creative director. “When I first moved to Durham I thought there might be some Mystery Plays, like with York, but pretty quickly I found they had been lost over the years,” he says.

“I thought, wouldn’t it be interesting to take the Mystery Plays – The Fall of Lucifer, Adam and Eve, Noah’s Ark, The Nativity, Cain and Abel – as a starting point and commission some new plays by asking writers, ‘Which mystery plays would you choose’?; ‘How would you write it’?”

Popular author Bill Bryson, he hopes, will be a prime candidate, but it could prove an intriguing idea for other local, less experienced, writers too.

The theatre is accepting submissions from writers until the end of this month and the ideas, says Simon, “should all come from the writers” but they don’t necessarily have to be drama. “It may be a dance piece, community opera, a piece of music,” he says. “They don’t even have to be religious, though it would be hard to avoid that.”

Once the writers have done their work, it’ll be the turn of the community to become involved.

“There’ll be a general call-out for people who want to take part, and public meetings,” says Simon.

“Originally, different guilds would do different plays: for instance, a butchers’ guild might do the story of Noah. Maybe we’ll have a village doing the Crucifixion.”

Following a rehearsal period, The Durham Mysteries will be re-staged at various sites in the city over three nights in May 2010.

“Originally they’d be performed over a day, starting about 7am and finishing at midnight, but I don’t think we’ve quite got that stamina any more!”

At one time, each area would have its own customised Mystery Plays. Simon, who believes there is a little of Newcastle’s left, thinks all scripts were recalled by the ruling faction during a time of political and religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics in the 1500s.

Their resurrection, while celebrating history, allows for the stories, prose or verse, to be set either in the past or modern day – perhaps through new media such as film and projection – while opening doors for local people, organisations and community groups to become involved front or back stage.

“It’s a chance to make them exciting and accessible,” says Simon.

He wants to celebrate the medieval pageantry and its community spirit by creating a carnival-like atmosphere, perhaps with fire-eaters, a town crier in the market square and an audience procession through the streets following the progress of the 10 short plays.

The first would probably start at Gala Theatre with other sites including Durham Cathedral, a traditional venue for the Mystery Plays. Then the final ones will see the audiences join together somewhere such as The Sands for the big finale.

And, adds Simon optimistically: “It should be a great spring evening – people might even bring picnics.”

His hope is that the Durham Mysteries will afterwards make a return perhaps every five years.

The project will be overseen by Durham City Vision, alongside Gala Theatre.

Kate James, events coordinator at DCV, who approached the theatre with the idea of resurrecting the Mysteries to find they were thinking along the same lines, said: “I’m confident that the production will be a highlight of Durham’s cultural calendar in 2010.”

The closing date for proposal submissions is June 30. Email Simon Stallworthy at mysteries@galadurham.co.uk or visit www.galadurham.co.uk to download a copy of the Durham Mysteries Writers’ Brief.

Mystery Plays were among the earliest of dramas – reaching their popularity peak in the 15th Century