C:\Fakepath\Middle Ages

Only the Western Empire fell – many scholars fled to the Eastern Empire, which was called Byzantium.

The Byzantine Empire was responsible for saving the works of Greek and Roman playwrights.

Literacy takes a hit. Only lords and religious scholars are taught to read.

The church was the major source of education at this time. They even taught women! (More on that later)

Mimis Histriones (serious actors) Jongleurs (entertainers/jugglers) Jockulators (slapstick comedy) Puppet Theatre Acrobats

Only six types of entertainments survived after the fall of Rome:

The Christian church imposed a ban on all mimes, theatres, and spectacles. They claimed that these things worked against the church.

The Christian “Trope” – a musical call and response.› Quem Quaeritis – “Whom do you seek?”

Performances acted out during the Easter season

Eventually, over 400 variations exist.

The theatre is reborn in the very church that had banned it!

German nun and Latin teacher.› Nuns were REQUIRED to read and write Latin

Copied the style of Terrence, the Roman playwright. Used plays to teach her students lessons.

Plays were rediscovered hundreds of years later.

Another wacky German Nun› Wrote religious poems and songs

Wrote Ordo Virtutum – “Play of Virtues”› Forerunner of Morality Plays

Everything was sung. It was all in Latin.

Only one or two stages were positioned in the middle of the cathedral – these were called Platea.

Twelve backdrops were positioned around the outer walls. Scenes started here and moved to the platea. These backdrops were called Mansions.

The performances became more popular than Mass. The performances were moved to stages outside of the Cathedral.

Still sung, but now they started using the local language (which the church did NOT like!)

Morality Plays – Allegories about Life, Death, and Life after Death.› “Everyman” – circa 1500

Miracle Plays – based on the lives of Saints, Jesus, and the Virgin Mary.› Used to teach lessons.

Mystery Play/Passion Play/Mysterium› Plays about the life and death of Jesus.

Mystery plays eventually become multi-part shows, each performed on a different “Pageant Wagon.”

Different cities made different versions, and local merchants competed to see who could build the best Wagon.› The Spanish were crazy with this… Wagons

three stories tall and made of gold… City of Wakefield – 32 plays, including the

Wakefield Second Shepherds Pageant Producers were hired to coordinate Wagons

Everyman The Wandering Scholar from Paradise The Adventures of Pierre Patelin

German Playwright Wrote “The Wandering Scholar from

Paradise”› (Paradise was a reference to Paris)

198 of his plays survive. Many of them are short farces called “Shrovetide Plays”

Play Wagons› Hellmouth – showed sinners being burned

and tortured.› Golden Throne – Priest sits on the throne to

represent God.

Interludes – short plays between meal courses Tournaments – Jousting and Melee Mummings – masked scenes Disguisings – …think Halloween Masked Balls – I think you get the idea Royal Entry – Parades to watch the King and

Queen come to town… running from the Plague. Tableaux Vivant – Living Picture

› Showing Here------------------------

Church withdraws all support from Drama› Playwrights start creating secular drama› National Drama› Guilds stop putting on shows… which gives

rise to professional actors.

AND THE RENAISSANCE BEGINS… which is the history lesson next week!

You can answer an extra credit question on the back:› ExCr What part of the stage comes from

the Latin word for “To come forth?”