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Theatre History Medieval Theatre

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Often called The Dark Ages Not really a correct title start: Romes 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

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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

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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

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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

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Mystery Play Acted out the stories of Christs life Still performed today in parts of England and Germany

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

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

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

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Medieval Theatre shows an outdoor play with Hells Mouth and demons to scare the viewers into being better people

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

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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

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Pictures of Pageant Wagons

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

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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