Miracle Plays, 24th - 26th July, 2009
From the Creation to Doomsday
A joint production by St. Mary's Church and Gillingham Arts Workshop
adapted and directed by David Bryan
draft page - this page should be tidied up by the end of August, but the videos can be viewed now
Introduction
The production consisted of ten short plays which together spanned and reflected the total outline of the Bible ‘story’ from the book of Genesis to the life of Jesus and on to the end of the world. The Gillingham Miracle Plays are inspired by the cycles of mystery or miracle plays which were perfomed by members of the trades guilds during the Middle Ages.
The plays, literal portrayals of well-known Biblical events, were performed on carts which were towed through the streets and were therefore inevitably presented in a simple way. The Gillingham production aimed to reflect the unsophisticated approach of the artisans who once took part.
You can read more about mystery plays below.
You can also watch videos of the plays, read more about the subjects and see a slideshow of some pictures.
Gillingham Arts Workshop
For more information 'phone 01747 826184
An account of seeing the Gillingham production
by Maureen Atkinson (from the September edition of "Impact")
The revival of the medieval Miracle plays in comparatively recent times has been a most welcome addition to the store of religious presentations in poetry, prose, music and drama. The cycle of plays presented by St Mary's Church and Gillingham Arts Workshop was an inspired choice portraying major biblical events from the 'Fall of the Angels' (was this prior to the Creation?) to Doomsday. Throughout the whole performance - it was long, well over two hours - one was caught up in the drama. I was conscious of an 'atmosphere' created by a wide variety of emotions: power, envy, love, joy, ruthlessness, sorrow and grief.
The number of individuals participating was actually quite small so that most were portraying several different characters yet they managed to create a unique and separate identity for each one. The Creation sequence was vividly portrayed culminating in the Fall of Man; the insidious nature of Lucifer, in the form of a snake, made a striking impression; it was easy to understand how one can be beguiled by deceit and false promises leading to treachery against God.
Noah's Flood was an immediate contrast with an exuberance and liveliness much enjoyed by the audience. The arrangements for the building and occupation of the ark were somewhat chaotic with Mrs. Noah being a very reluctant traveller. The ark and its movement in the water were extraordinarily realistic - a veritable winner for the props team!
For me, the Nativity play was one of the most arresting sequences. The shepherds, roaming the fields with their rather ignorant, raucous banter, made their way, still in querulous whining mood, up the south aisle towards the Good Shepherd Chapel where they stopped suddenly - silenced, overcome totally in their tracks by the sight of the manger - light shone and one felt compelled to worship.
Play 8, depicting the massacre of the Innocents, was forceful and stark; possibly some onlookers found this scene too harrowing; the killings were extremely savage and the heartbreak of the mothers so poignant. However, this violence did happen and perhaps it may serve to remind us that brutality such as this still occurs today.
The Resurrection sequence with the switch from the front of the nave, featuring those involved in the crucifixion of Jesus, to the Baptistry representing the tomb - the empty tomb - where the angel converses with the women seeking the body of Jesus, was particularly moving.
The final episode depicting the relationship between God and Man at the 'End of Time' drew vividly on the Last Judgement and Christ's Second Coming, with the souls awaiting their fate linked to the redemptive power offered through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross.
On a personal note, the whole event was quite nostalgic for me as I was one of the producers at school of a selection of the York Mystery Plays in the 1960s which was very soon after their 'rediscovery'. At the risk of being branded too pedantic, I would have preferred the production to be termed 'Mystery' - not 'Miracle' - plays since these at St Mary's were based on biblical stories like those enacted in medieval towns by a trade guild. The word 'Mystery' in this context is derived from 'mistery' meaning a skilled craft whereas 'Miracle' plays are usually written about the saints because of the miracles they performed! Incidentally, a papal edict in 1210 forbade clergy acting in public, as they had in church hitherto, so this was probably the reason for the dramas passing into the hands of the trade guilds and being presented in the vernacular - it's a thought that we would have been short of two actors in the 2009 version had this still been the case!
The whole cast and production team under the direction of David Bryan are to be congratulated on the successful outcome of what was an ambitious and innovative project for the church and the Arts Workshop. The attention to detail was meticulous in every department - the props, the costumes, and the transition from one episode to the next was seamless.
It seemed that this production achieved the same aims as the original medieval guilds: to make the stories real and understandable, to involve the audience and encourage them to take stock of their lives.
I am sure that many who witnessed these plays will be asking if anything further is planned - perhaps the chief modern example of the Mystery play, the Passion Play?
I would like to thank Maureen on behalf of the cast and crew for her kind comments. It was especially fulfilling to be able to undertake the production as a community project between St Mary's and the Arts Workshop. Incidentally, we were aware of the subtle difference between 'mystery' and 'miracle' plays, but felt that some people might think they were going to see a production of Agatha Christie or Inspector Morse if we used the word 'mystery'. As it happens, the Everyman University Library edition of the plays, which I used as a basis for the adaptation, refers to them as 'Miracle Plays'.
Further to the comments in Impact re mystery vs. miracle plays: both terms are deliberately used on this page so that the page can be found for those using either name to seek this page using search engines such as Google.
And on YouTube "Mystery Play" is mainly used as this links the plays mainly with others of a similar kind - "miracle play" led to the suggestion that recordings of amazing shots made by footballers were related videos!
The Sudan
There was no charge but donations were invited for Lui Diocese in the Sudan with which we are building a link. A total of £347.49 was raised from donactions at the plays.
If you enjoy watching the plays here and would like to add to this, hand money to St. Mary's treasurer, David Bryan, or give to Salisbury Diocese (you can give online: see the "donate" link on this page).
Vestry curtain
And the payments for tea and cake in the interval made a further £101.50, paying for the new curtain at the entrance to the choir vestry.
Watch the plays
All of the plays can be watched here or seen directly on YouTube, and are available in HD.
Buy the DVD
They will also be available on DVD at a cost of £2 - to cover costs, with profits to the Sudan; if you are interested please contact Teresa
The content is the same as watching the videos from this page, but the picture quality is better - and you aren't using up your monthly download allowance.
Watch all the plays consecutively ...
Click play on the following video to watch the whole lot. They last altogther for 2 hours - you can of course pause, or click on the arrow on the right to jump to the next video.
... or read more about each before / after viewing
click on the title in the left column to watch a play
Play 1. Fall of the Angels
The subject
being written
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
| Lucifer: | Mark Hebditch |
| Seraph: | Carolyn Alexander |
| Cherub: | Mary Gray |
| Bad Angel: | Annette Lobb |
| Devil: | Richard Little |
Play 2. Creation
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
Play 3. Creation - Adam and Eve
The subject
being written
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
| Adam: | Richard Arnold |
| Eve: | Liz Rose |
both Creation plays are shown together - see above to watch
Play 4. Eden
The subject
being written
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
| Adam: | Richard Arnold |
| Eve: | Liz Rose |
Play 5. Fall of Man
The subject
being written
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
| Lucifer: | Mark Hebditch |
| Adam: | Richard Arnold |
| Eve: | Liz Rose |
| Angel: | Carolyn Alexander |
Play 6. Noah's Flood
Cast
| God: | Tess Hebditch |
| Noah: | Jeffrey Hall |
| Noah's wife: | Carol Hall |
| Shem: | Mike Turnbull |
| Shem's wife: | Annette Lobb |
| Ham's wife: | Carolyn Alexander |
| Ham's wife: | Carolyn Alexander |
| Japheth: | Richard Little |
| Japheth's wife: | Liz Rose |
| Gossips: | Win Little and Mary Gray |
Play 7. The Nativity
The subject
being written
Cast
Shepherds: Mike Turnbull
Mark Hebditch
Annette Lobb
Amgel: Carolyn Alexander
Mary: Liz Rose
Joseph: Philip Jones
The Nativity: introductory song
"The Shepherds in the Fields" - part 1 of the Nativity Play
"The Shepherds Visit" - part 2 of the Nativity Play
Play 8. Herod the Great
The subject
being written
Cast
Messenger: Jeffrey Hall
Herod: Mark Hebditch
Soldiers: Mike Turnbull, Philip Gray and Andrew Lobb
Counsellors: David Frayne and Richard Little
Women: Annette Lobb, Liz Rose and Carolyn Alexander
Play 9. The Resurrection
The subject
being written
Cast
Pilate: Andrew Lobb
Caiaphas: Jeffrey Hall
Annas: David Frayne
Centurion: Mike Turnbull
Mary Magdalene: Annette Lobb
Mary: Carol Hall
Salome: Liz Rose
Angel: Mary Gray
Soldiers: Richard Arnold, Philip Gray, Richard Little
Play 10. Doomsday
The subject
being written
Cast
God: Tess Hebditch
Jesus: Richard Arnold
Angels: Carolyn Alexander and Mary Gray
Good Souls: Annette Lobb and Win Little
Bad Souls: Philip Gray and Mike Turnbull
Apostles: Jeffrey Hall and David Frayne
Devils: Mark Hebditch, Liz Rose and Richard Little
Production team
Costumes: Mary Gray
Stage Manager: Mike Sargent
Prompt: Daphne Bryan
Props: Colin Marsh, Mary Gray, Philip Gray
About Mystery Plays
Miracle Plays (or Mystery Plays as they are properly called) became very popular in England in the Middle Ages. Before they were translated into English (from Hebrew and Greek) and widely available, Bible stories and events were offered and presented in dramatic form usually by travelling bands of players. They were as much religious education as Christian entertainment, rather like Nativity and Passion plays are offered today. It so happens that the most well known of the Mystery cycles of plays originated in the North of England in such places as:
- York
(also see the Wikipedia entry about the York Mystery Plays), - Chester
(also see this account of the plays and the Wikipedia entry), - Wakefield
- Coventry
where they continue to be presented from time to time. David Bryan very skilfully adapted and edited much of the available material resulting in the "Gillingham Miracle Plays". Rehearsals began in May. From then, until the performances in late July, Tuesday evenings saw much excitement and the proclaiming of more polished speeches as the weeks went by.
By way of further introduction, just like the development of stained-glass windows depicting Biblical scenes (another early form of today’s visual aids!), the mediaeval Mystery Plays interpreted the Bible and tradition myths in a very literal way – the virtually unquestioned norm until 19th century biblical criticism (as it is called), which sought to offer a less literal view of the Scriptures in the light of developing scholarship and scientific discoveries. It is an interesting co-incidence that we in Gillingham are presenting our plays during the 150th anniversary year of the publication of Charles Darwin’s “Origin of Species”, which created much controversy concerning the truth of the Bible - undermining (for example) the ‘fact’ that God created the world in six twenty-four hour days. While there are many Christians who still today set great store by such a conservative and creationist view of the Bible, most Christians will now stress that scientific discoveries of evolution and resulting theories need by no means destroy faith. Indeed, religious faith (the “why” of life) can and often does enhance scientific explanations (the “how” of life). The Bible sets forth deep-down truth concerning God, Jesus and Christian life within the Holy Spirit – often in what we have come to see as poetic language and form. Science sets forth what we might describe as everyday truth as determined by one or more of our five physical senses in the light of present day exploration and discovery. While Darwin’s Christian faith on his own admission was never strong, he himself saw nothing in his science and anthropology incompatible with religious faith.
Besides their literal presentations, the Miracle Plays (ours included) were as much captivated by the Devil (in the actual Creation and Doomsday scenes), even to the extent of underplaying the overarching power and enfolding love of God. It would be true to say that, far from consigning or directing folk to hell or heaven (with damning or soothing words to match!), contemporary insights into the ways and nature of God have emphasised the love of God rather than the wrath of God. As F.W. Faber’s 19th century hymn “There’s a wideness in God’s mercy” puts it:
“For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man’s mind And the heart of the eternal Is most wonderfully kind”
These Bible “health warnings”, should be borne in mind when watching the Gillingham Mystery Plays!
adapted slightly from the leading article of the July edition of ImpactThe videos ...
Limited quality
These videos are not of a high quality due to the webmaster's inexperience with a camcorder and video editing software, together with a lack of time to study and apply the opportunities available in the latter, and the limitations of only being in one spot at one time and having a creaky tripod!
Hopefully my abilities will improve with time, but if you have a camcorder and would like to help record future events at St. Mary's, both as a record and for those not able to be present, please do contact me.
St. Mary's webmaster
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