Episodes

Episode 63 In a coda to season 3 somewhere in England an acting troupe travels through a cold December at the tale end of the Medieval period, in search of an audience. A fictional account using the facts and assumptions discussed in the Medieval Theatre season of the podcast. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Episode 62 With the Reformation came the final end of the great Religious plays of the medieval period. The episode sumarises the great trends of medieval theatre and charts the final end as Europe descended into religious disagreement. A reminder of the journey from the religious trope, thorough the folk festivals, the cycle plays, the saints play, the morality play and the interlude. The end of Medieval Theatre as brought about by the Reformation and political and sociological changes. Som...

Episode 61 Once the medieval theatre had moved out of the confines of the church and away from religious obligation a form of commercial theatre began, but how was money spent and income generated and was it profitable? The rise of commercial theatre through the Interlude and the Travelling Players Play expenses and income The rising costs of the Cycle Plays and other entertainments The actors contract The production of 'Mystery Des Trois Doms' and what it tells us about collaboration The...

Episode 60 Religious theatre dominated the Medieval period, but there are some examples of works written just for fun and entertainment. How celebrations like The Feast of Fools, The Boy Bishop and The Feast of Asses developed into secular theatre. The rise and influence of the travelling players and the church reaction to some of their work. The French travelling players Rutebeuf and Adam De La Hale. French Medieval comedy The establishment of performers guilds and the role of the player ...

Episode 59 Everyman is the most well known of all the Morality plays and probably an English adaptation of a Dutch original. Different types of Morality Plays The Morality play in Europe and how they differed from the English offering A synopsys and analysis of Everyman The Dance Macabre and the role of Death To support the podcast: www.thehistorofeuropenatheatre.com www.patreon.com/thoetp www.ko-fi.com/thoetp This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartabl...

Episode 58 The Castle of Perseverance is a great example of how difficult it can be to discuss the form of a play separately from the content and in this case we have an illustration that shows how the play might have been presented A summary of the plot of the play Details from the manuscript about dating the play The illustration contained in the manuscript reviewed in detail The problems with the way the audience might have been positioned and the play presented The role of the 'Stytler...

Episode 57 The Morality play is a type of play that for all its similarities and shared heritage with the Corpus Christi cycle plays brought something new to the world of drama and had a profound effect on the future development of theatre. How the Morality Plays are different from Cycle Plays The Development of the ideas around the seven vices and virtues and how they developed into personified characters The development of education in the Middle Ages and the influence on monastic preachin...

Episode 56 The history of the Harrowing of Hell and the way it was portrayed in the cycle plays, including some thoughts on how it would have been staged and how the play comes alive when the demons and devils take to the stage. The play of Noah and the Great Flood must have provided the medieval set designers with some real challenges. Some thoughts on how that might have been done and a look at some of the detail around the story of Mrs Noah, doves, ravens and Rainbows. This podcast uses th...

Episode 55 The Second Shepherds play is considered the best of the medieval cycle plays. In this episode I take a look at not only the second shepherds play, but the first play as well, which is often overlooked. Why are there two shepherd's plays in this cycle? The plot and characters in the first play The plot and charaters in the second play The similarities and differences between the plays What the plays say about the social conditions of the time The Wakefield Master, author go the ...

Episode 54 In this episode we look at the way the cycle plays developed in the four major centres from where we have complete versions of the cycle: York, Chester, Coventry and Wakefield. The development of the York Plays Further details on the guilds and how they functioned in society The development of the Chester plays The development of the Coventry Cycle The development of the Wakefield cycle The N-Town cycle Manuscript The Wakefield cycle plays The literary merits of the plays Fo...

Episode 53 Stage sets, costuming and special effects became quite sophisticated in the cycle plays during the sixteenth century. This episode looks at the examples of stage sets that we have from Valenciennes. You can see the drawing that is described in the podcast here: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com/gallery A look at evidence for costuming the has survived And then we take a look at the the different stager special effects used to impress the audience, especially the representations ...

Episode 52 This episode looks at how the Corpus Christi plays were organised and staffed with actors, tradesmen and other organisers and supporters. How rehearsals were organised and what was expected of actors, including details of the contrast they were expected to sign. The different playing spaces that were used for the plays, including three main types, the round, the wagon, and the market place. The role of 'The Ordinary' and other things we know about the way the plays were presented....

Episode 51 The instigation of the Corpus Christi feat day too theatre out of the church and into the town and village. This episode looks at the development of the celebration of the new feast day and how the new trades guilds and other organisations took over the production of biblical plays from the church. An understanding of the theology behind the feast day is important to an understanding of how the plays developed, so this is outlined and the concepts of time and place within the plays ...

Episode 50 The Synod of Winchester issued direction on the performance of the Trope in 960 and the door was open for further developments on other feast days. Then a look at other church festivals with dramatic elements. The Boy Bishop, The Day of Fools and the Festival of the Ass. And in the late twelfth century the Trope starts to get too big for the likes of some in the church as stage directions get more complicated and props and scenery get put to use to represent individual places and c...

Episode 49 The story of how theatre found it's way into the church service on the most important days in the Christian calendar, Easter Sunday and Christmas Day. For a long time drama was a small elaboration to the massif the same way music, architecture and art were only included to amplify the message of the service and the word of God. Following a lot at their impact and use we get to the Trope, but it that really the beginnings of church drama? The Synod of Winchester in 970 might just have...

Episode 48 To open season three a summary of how theatre and dramatic activity survived despite the restrictions placed on it from the growing influence of the Christian Church. This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy

Season 3 Trailer: Medieval Theatre This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable - https://chartable.com/privacy