MEDIEVAL DRAMA LINKS a personal selection by Sydney Higgins

shows additions since 20 October 1997

TEXTS

The Towneley Plays

The complete text from the Electric Text Center of the University of Virginia Library.

The complete text from the Electric Text Center of the University of Virginia Library.

Everyman

The complete text from the Humanities Text Initiative, University of Michigan.

Five Sixteenth-Century Latin Plays

From the collection of 'Comedies and Tragedies', edited by Nicholas Brylinger, Basle, in 1540. Translated by C.C. Lee, Toronto.

Andrzej Dàbrówka: 'Quando sagittari sagittaverunt papegay. Der Medienstreit im mittelniederländischen Theaterbetrieb'

An article, in German, that discusses 15th-century terminology used for plays, players and theatre productions.

Paper (about two early fifteenth-century Burgundian plays) that was delivered to the 5th Annual Indiana University Symposium on Medieval Studies, April 1992.

In the play of The Magi in the N-Town cycle, the third king says: 'Lord, I knele downe be the bede, / In maydyns fleshe thou arte hede.' Jim Petruzzelli (a graduate student at the University of Colorado) uses this as his starting point to argue that 'the typology of Mary and Jesus draws attention to the "maydyns fleshe" that incorporates them both'.

A superb page (like all those produced by Jack Wolcott of the School of Drama at the University of Washington), it gives clear information with a diagram and supplementary references.

Written by Bob Bender's students at the University of Missouri - Colombia: a. Jim Cross, 'Two Plays of the Middle Ages' (Wakefield 'Second Shephers' Play' and 'Everyman), b. Lori Dohrn, 'Religion and Medieval Literature: A Look at Mystery and Morality Plays', c. Andy Hunter, 'Allegory in the Middle Ages and Renaissance', and d. Shanyn Saving, 'Do As I Do'.

An informative introduction (with interesting illustrations) to the background and content of this unusual play, written in Latin by a German monk in about 1150.

Adam de la Halle - Bibliography

Comprehensive bibliography of the thirteenth-century French writer, prepared by Jesse Hurlbut of Brigham Young University.

Bibliography of Cornish Medieval Drama

Compiled by Sydney Higgins as a supplement to this page, this bibliography lists the major articles and books dealing with the medieval playswritten in Cornish.

A useful list of critical studies and texts of medieval plays.

From the Medieval Institute, University of Western Michigan, a complete catalogue of publications, including the monographs and reference books in the Early Drama, Art and Music (EDAM) project (edited by Clifford Davidson) that has been called 'The major American scholarly enterprise focused on medieval drama ...' A most important list.

Although several more volumes are planned, only one book has so far been published in this series - edited by Martin Stevens (CUNY Graduate Center) and Stephen K. Wright (Catholic University of America).

A useful list of songs in the English medieval cycles, compled by JoAnna Dutka (and part of 'Early Drama, Art, and Music' - a research project at the Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University).

Another very useful list that is again part of 'Early Drama, Art, and Music' - a research project at the Medieval Institute, Western Michigan University.

Information about publications on medieval topics, including the important series of facsimiles of medieval drama manuscripts (edited by Peter Meredith):

'The Digby Plays'
'The N-Town Plays'
'Non-Cycle Plays and Fragments'
'The Chester Mystery Cycle'
'The York Play'
'The Chester Mystery Cycle'

Records of Early English Drama (REED)

Information about the publications, newsletter and discussion group, all based at McMaster University.

PERFORM - Medieval and Renaissance Performance Listserv Discussion Group

Home page of the group based at the University of Indiana, listing subscription information, monthly logs, course syllabi and other links.

a. Performance

Everyman

Account - with photographs - of a production by the Medieval Drama Group of the University of Dundee.

Some interesting notes - including a production history - prepared for senior students at Plymouth State College.

The home page of the University of Toronto company that, since 1964, has presented some 90 productions (involving 200 individual plays) of medieval and early Renaissance drama.

With links to information about and photographs of productions, including Mankind.

Students' medieval drama group based at the University of York.

Based on their experience of performing these plays, students of Peter Greenfield at the University of Puget Sound have produced an interesting annotated text of 1) The Fall of Man; 2) The Harrowing of Hell.

This highly recommended resource provides a treasure-trove of information about the staging and performance of the York Cycle:
1. Introduction to the York Corpus Christi Play
1. Context: Religious, artistic, economic and political aspects of the York Corpus Christi Play
2. Content: Brief synopses of the episodes preserved in the York Register
3. Controversy: Analysis of the scholarly debate over staging
2. The 1977 restaging in Toronto - Pictures and video clips
3. Pageant Simulator (computer software that models the motion of pageant wagons during a simulated York Corpus Christi Pageant)
1. PSim screen shots: still pictures of the simulation
2. The PSim Java applet: a computer simulation of the York pageant
3. About the computer program (PSim)
4. General Resources
1. A Christ Taken Prisoner: an historical anecdote illustrating the interdependence of the medieval religious, artistic, political, and economic worlds
2. Glossary of terms: a most useful aid for those who are new to medieval drama
This important site has been produced by Dennis G. Jerz.

Period and Style for Designers

This is a superb collection of images used by Hugh Lester of Tulane University in his courses for designers. Covering mainly buildings with some decorations and furniture, they are arranged by period. These include 1) English Medieval - 15 illus., 2) Early Gothic - 20 French illus. 3) Englis h Gothic - 62 illus. 4) English Renaissance - 22 illus.

a. A fifteenth-century theatre-in-the-round
Jean Fouquet's minature of 'Le martyre de Saint-Apolline', painted 1452-1468 and included in the book 'Les Heures d'Etienne Chevalier'. (From the web-site 'The Arts & Sciences in Calontir'.)
b. Staging for the Passion Play at Valenciennes in 1547
A reproduction of Hubert Cailleau's sketch - MS. in Bibliothèque National de Paris. (This illustration is one in a series presented by Patrick Finelli as part of his Theatre History Cybercourse at the University of South Florida.)

a. A collection of ornate tents
From a 14th-century manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
b. Pavilions at a joust
From Jean Froissart's 'Chronicles' (Flandres, Bruges - 15th Century) in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
c. A Royal Medieval Pavilion and a Modern Reconstruction
Using as a model an illustration in King Rene d'Anjou's 'Book of Love', Stephen Bloch and Deborah Peters built their own medieval pavilion.

An excellent article with detailed plans written by Elizabeth Cook for 'Cariadoc's Miscellany'.

Medieval Flags and Banners

A most useful collection, compiled by Donna Hrynkiw, of many illustrations (arranged according to period and type) and several interesting, illustrated articles.

Patterns for making two types of pouches: a. The Charm Pouch; and b. The Box Pouch. (Presented by M. D. Horrill, a re-enactor from Loughborough, UK.)

Coloured photographs, with a brief introduction, of medieval bow and arrow, swords, spears, and axes. (Produced by Highland Park Elementary School)

Full instructions for making swords out of high-density polyurethane foam. (Presented by M.D. Horrill, a re-enactor from Loughborough, UK.)

Fake blood, warts and other nasty things

Universal Studios Florida provide simple recipes for a variety of useful and fun horror make-up including Fake Blood, Hairy Warts and Scabby Skin.

Jon Cardone of the Yale School of Drama describes the making of lightweight theatrical masks using buckram applied to a cast of the actor's face.

An attractively designed and informative page with coloured illustrations, step-by-step instructions and links to other mask pages. Prepared by Michael R. Delahunt as a lesson plan for 5th graders at Sonoran Sky Elementary Scool, Scottsdale. Lucky pupils!

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