Medieval Drama

Vince uses written and artifactual evidence of theatre history to explain the nature of its current state. His study of theatre's early forms discloses a wealth of significant facts, and some conjectures, that stimulate understanding and appreciation of the art

This comprehensive anthology brings together a diverse collection of dramatic writing from the late fourteenth century to the onset of the Renaissance. The volume presents for the first time the key plays of the period in their entirety, alongside more unusual selections, covering religious narrative, religion and conscience, and politics and morality.

The volume features 30 essays contributed by an international group of specialists and includes many shorter entries as well as systematic cross-referencing, a chronology, a bibliography, and a full complement of indexes. Major entries focus on the theatres of the principal linguistic areas (the British Isles, France, Germany, Iberia, Italy, Scandinavia, the Low Countries, and Eastern Europe), and on dramatic forms and genres such as liturgical drama, Passion and saint plays, morality plays, folk drama, and Humanist drama. Other articles examine costume, acting, pageantry, and music, and explore the theatrical dimension of courtly entertainment, the dance, and the tournament.

A treasury of medieval tales about the great heroes of the time is unlocked in this volume. The different cultures from which the middle ages drew its inspiration are represented: Cu Chulainn from the Celtic world, Apollonius of Tyre from Greek romance, Attila the Hun and Theodoric the Ostrogoth from the struggle of the Roman empire against the Barbarians. Each entry gives an outline of the story, how it spread through Europe, its modern retellings and appearances in art, and a selective bibliography.

Includes sections on English drama as well as on liturgical Latin drama and the drama of France, Germany, etc.

Uses a medieval mystery play about Abraham and Isaac to relate medieval drama, as a means of social control, to the attitudes of the aristocracy and the religious doctrines of the church.

Set in 14th century England, the story involves a priest who leaves the church after committing adultery. He falls in with a troupe of traveling actors. The group ends up in a small town where a mute woman is accused of witchcraft and murder. Drawn to the woman, the troupe re-creates the events in hopes of drawing a crowd and solving the crime.

A filmed performance of a four and one-half hour production of the earliest English morality play to have survived with a complete text. Presents all key scenes in dramatic order.