> Go to an overview of Chester Mystery Plays 2008
About Chester Mystery Plays 2008
This rare Chester production has become a much anticipated highlight in the British arts calendar, attracting people from all over the world.
Chester Mystery Plays originated in the 14th century, nearly 700 years ago. Church services were conducted in Latin and the monks at the Abbey of St Werburgh (now Chester Cathedral) enacted stories from the Bible to help those who couldn’t otherwise follow or understand. Eventually this proved too disruptive and the plays were moved outside, after which individual companies of Chester Guilds adopted them. For example, the Grocers, Bakers and Millers performed The Last Supper, and the Ironmongers undertook The Crucifixion.
Few town guilds in medieval Britain were able to afford such pageantry but of those who did, original scripts survive from only five cities, Chester’s being the most complete in existence with a near-complete text of 24 plays.
Mystery plays were banned nationally in the 16th century. Chester was the last to concede in 1578 and so became the longest-running cycle in medieval times. Revived in 1951 for the Festival of Britain, they have since been staged every five years, always adopting differences which keep audiences coming back over the decades with something to interest the whole family.
The 2008 production of Chester Mystery Plays takes place on the Cathedral Green June 28th – July 19th, 2008. Discounted previews are scheduled on June 26th & 27th. It takes place in two parts, The Prophecy and The Fulfilment.
Staged in the shadow of Chester Cathedral, whose own story can be traced back to 907AD, the plays are performed in the open air while the audience is seated under cover in tiered stands.
Please visit the web site for more information www.chestermysteryplays.com or the production team’s website on www.mystery2008.co.uk