Medieval Theater timeline

Medieval Theater

Period: 900 to 1500

Theater Space

925

According to Kiara Pipino, “The platea (main playing space) was the nave of a church, with more specific locations called mansions placed along the sides. A mansion represented settings for liturgical plays, including Jerusalem, Paradise, and Hell. The audience moved along with the action” (Pipino). The Catholic Church was the only institution keeping theater alive in the West, making shows have a religious background. It's important to learn about these spaces to help you see the stories fully.

Costumes

925

Britannica states, "with the actors, priests, and clerics wearing church vestments...Adam and Eve were clad in close-fitting white leather, God in bishop’s robes, and Jesus in a simple white robe. Cain, Abel, Joseph, Lazarus, and other biblical characters appeared in contemporary clothes, hoods, pourpoints (doublets), or loose gowns. A female character was indicated by the simple addition of a kerchief on the head" (Barker). These costumes have an influence on modern-day theater.

First performance

925

Medieval plays developed a lot during their era and started as a small performance. According to Kelley Holley, "The earliest example of a surviving drama dates from roughly 925 CE. It's very brief, only four lines of dialogue about the Resurrection of Jesus. During this time, traveling bands of musicians and storytellers also performed for people, but the church frowned on them. In some places, they were officially banned" (Holley). Through this, we can see how much these shows have grown.

Hrosvitha of Gandersheim

935

Hrosvitha of Gandersheim is renowned as the first German woman poet. She was born in c. 935 and died in c. 1000. Britannica states, “to counteract the pagan morality expressed in classical works, Hrosvitha wrote (c. 960) six comedies in Latin, based on Terence, but embodying Christian themes” (Britannica). Hrosvitha wrote to encourage faith and made bold moves in her writing. Hrosvitha deserves to be studied because of the popularity of her work, in addition to her works themselves.

Quem Quareritis

970

"Quem Quareritis" means "Whom are you Seeking?" According to Merriam-Webster, "an Easter introit trope derived from the account of the visit to Christ's tomb by the women, acted in the 10th century by ecclesiastics, and in its amplified dramatized form being the earliest known liturgical drama" (Merriam-Webster). This is important because it was one of the earliest forms of theatrical performance.

Adam de la Halle

1250

Born in c.1250 and passing in c. 1306, was a French poet, composer, musician, and innovator of the secular theater. DAHR states, "mong the few medieval composers to write both monophonic and polyphonic music, in this respect he has been considered both a conservative and progressive composer, resulting in a complex legacy: he cultivated admired representatives of older trouvère genres, but also experimented with newer dramatic works" (DAHR). Adam has influenced theater and created new ideas.

Director/Playwright Katherine of Sutton

1358

Katherine directed sung Latin liturgical dramas. She was also the first English woman playwright. Mala Sen states, “Katherine made several changes to the liturgical process of the convent, incorporating performing arts into their celebrations. In particular she wrote and produced several mystery plays to be performed at Easter..The plays are unusual for the period, and feature detailed stage directions” (Sen). Katherine is important because of her influence on modern-day directors.

Castle of Perseverance

1405

One of the earliest allegorical plays written in English. Ruth Johnston states, “It’s also the only play that includes the stage plan with the manuscript...it was conceived as drama in a physical space, rather than a story adapted to dialogue” (Johnston). The story is about a human soul sinning, asking for forgiveness, and then being presented with a moral dilemma. This story is important because of its stage plan. The show's unique staging intrigues historians with the audience's orientation.

Master of Secrets

1500

Master of Secrets in medieval times were in charge of special effects. Kiara Pipino states, “Master of Secrets. This was the early special effects master who would create fire, flying, or trapdoor effects to increase the theatricality and spectacle of medieval dramas” (Pipino). These workers were in charge of a multitude of jobs. It's important to learn about these different roles in theater to see how it has evolved into modern-day theater. It puts into perspective these intricate shows.

Chester Mystery Plays

1500

A group of mystery plays dating back to Chester, England. Chester Mystery Plays states, "Mystery Plays were created all across Europe from the 13th century as a means of celebrating the stories of the Old and New Testaments for the Feast of Corpus Christi. Other famous Mystery Play “Cycles” in England were written in Coventry, York and Wakefield...written by medieval monks" (Chester Mystery Plays). These shows were banned in the early 16th century, and they have impacted theater today.