Brought forth by the
York Guilds and Companies
2012 Performances and Symposium
Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th August - York
Organised by The York Guilds and Companies
Draft programme and online booking >
As a compliment and contrast to the 2012 Mysteries taking place in York this August, the Guilds and Companies of York will 'bring forth' two special performances of Plays from The York Mystery Plays on 11th and 12th August 2012.
Since 1998 The York Guilds have, through their charity York Festival Trust, created pageant wagon spectaculars on the City streets, just as in medieval times. These have been every four years, the last being in 2010. These productions have involved around 400 local people in all sorts of roles and have brought great drama and pageantry to visitors and locals alike.
Pageant Wagon Performances, 2012
11th and 12th August 2012 will see 'The Creation to the Fifth Day' and 'Noah' performed at two locations - West End of the Minster and College Green.
These performances will be free to view and open to all.
Symposium 2012
The popularity of Mystery Plays in general has grown over the last few years with groups in Chester, Coventry and Litchfield regularly performing their own plays. In Lincoln, Durham, Aldermarston, Gloucester, Manchester and Cardiff, plays have either been borrowed from other cities or new scripts created from original texts. The power of these plays as community drama and their ability to speak to the religious and non-religious audience alike is remarkable.
In an attempt to learn more about this phenomenon and to bring performing groups together to share experiences and learn from each other we will be holding a symposium at the National Centre for Early Music on 11th August following on from the wagon performances.
We will be welcoming speakers from York, Lincoln, Chester and Gloucester.
The symposium is open to all at a small charge of £15 which includes refreshments and afternoon tea.
The timing is such that anyone who wishes to see the Museum Gardens production will have time to do so.
On the morning of Sunday 12th we plan a morning network session before the wagon performances.
Draft programme and online booking >
Map of locations
View York Mystery Plays - Symposium & Performances, August 2012 in a larger map
PDF maps, directions and car parking information are also available from the Bedern Hall website.
