The Lincoln Mystery Plays are modern performances of medieval mystery plays and other productions in Lincoln Cathedral and the surrounding area.[1]

Background

The Lincoln Mystery Plays are based on the N-Town Plays and were inspired by Keith Ramsay (b.1933-d.2021) who was head of drama at Bishop Grosseteste College during the 1970s. In 1974, Ramsay directed the Oberfuer Cycle which then led to his work, directing the productions every four years between 1978 and 2000 of the Lincoln Mystery Plays.

The plays are performed in the Lincoln Cathedral and Southwell Minster. There are occasionally other performances. For example, in 2003, Mister Wesley, a new play by Roy Clarke, was performed in Lincoln and Southwell. In 2014, "The Last Post" was performed by the Lincoln Mystery Plays company at The Drill Hall, based on the true story of the eight local Beechey brothers, five of whom were killed in World War I.Lincolnshire Archives. This was then followed in 2018, at the Lincoln Drill Hall, by "The World at her Feet" by Steve Gillard, marking the 100th anniversary of WW1, about women's football in Lincoln during the war years.

Format

The Mystery Plays tell the story of mankind as seen through the eyes of a person from the Middle Ages. The plays are usually set between the birth of Christ and his crucifixion. The plays were written in middle English, the language of the ordinary people of that time. These guild productions flourished over 200 years in English cities until Cromwell and the Protestant Reformation ended the tradition.

Revival

The plays were almost forgotten for hundreds of years. The first major revival was in 1951 in York by E Martin Brown. In 1969 a production of "The Lincoln Cycle of Mystery Plays" was performed at the Cathedral in conjunction with Lincoln Theatre Royal. Adapted from a translation by Martial Rose. First performance was 23 August 1969. Principal actors were Brian Tree, Brian Protheroe and Alison Steadman. The production was directed by Clare Venables and assisted by Rhys McConnochie.

In 1978, Ramsay revived the Lincoln or N-Town Plays plays in Lincoln. He directed nine productions in Lincoln Cathedral and two in Southwell Minster. Ramsay was invited to present the production at several international conferences on medieval drama. The company performed in Neustadt, Germany; Viterbo, Rome & Camerino Italy; Perpignan, France and Oregon, in the United States in 1989. States.

2000 was Ramsay's last production of the Mystery Plays: 2004 saw Karen Crow directing, 2008's production was directed by Geoff Readman, the 2012 production was directed by John Bowtell, 2016 by Colin Brimblecombe.

In 2011 Lincoln Theatre Royal hosted a gala performance to raise funds for the 2012 production, directed by Angela Gunstone, with performances by actors from 1969 to 2008.Lincolnshire Echo 13.6.11

Further reading

  • Ramsay, Keith. The Lincoln Mystery Plays: A Personal Odyssey. London: Nerone Books, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9555365-0-2 (A modernised version of the text was produced in 1994 by Ed Schell and Ramsay).

References

  1. ↑ "First in six years: Comeback for Lincoln Mystery Plays". The Lincolnite. 23 July 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
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