Home Service perform music for The Nativity, part 1 of The Mysteries performed at the Lyceum Theatre London 1985.05.21 - cassette masters FLAC
Sony mic/Sony Pro Walkman/JVC TD-W718 to adobe audition >Tracks>fades>Flac 6
Checksum files done in Traders Little Helper
The Mysteries is a play adapted from mediζval texts by poet Tony Harrison. It was based on the York and Wakefield Mystery Cycles, and produced at the Royal National Theatre in 1985, directed by Bill Bryden. The play was performed in three parts (each of about two hours):
The Nativity (1980), The Passion (1977), and Doomsday (1985).
It was a 'walking performance', with the actors performing inside the audience, who then moved to the next 'playlet', within the space of the Cottesloe Theatre. The following year, it was revived in the larger space of the Lyceum Ballroom.
In a unique celebration of the Millennium, the Royal National Theatre revived one of the most famous shows in its history The Mysteries, a great cycle of medieval plays, which are part of the foundation of our culture.
The Nativity tells the story of the birth of Christ, attended by the Shepherds and the three Kings, the flight into Egypt and Herods slaughter of the Innocents.
There is no record of the first performance of the York Mystery Plays, but they are first recorded celebrating the festival of Corpus Christi, in York in 1376, by which time the use of pageant wagons has already been established. The plays were organised, financed (and often performed) by the York Craft Guilds ("Mystery" is a play on words, representing both a religious truth, or rite, and, in its Middle English meaning of a trade, or craft). The wagons would be paraded through the streets of York, stopping at each of 12 playing stations, designated by the City banners.
The cycle uses twenty different verse forms, and the balance of critical opinion is in favour of the idea of several clerics being responsible for their authorship, one of whom is conventionally known as the "York Realist".
The cycle of plays comprise some 48 pageants, which were originally presented upon carts and wagons, dressed for the occasion. In some accounts, there are as many as 56 pageants. They told stories from both the Old and New Testaments, from the Creation to the Last Judgement.
The Plays continued after the Reformation, when in 1548 the feast of Corpus Christi was abolished in England. The plays accommodated themselves to the new religious orthodoxy, by cutting scenes honouring the Virgin; but were finally suppressed in 1569.
Traditionally, an individual guild would take responsibility for a particular play.
Barkers (Tanners) The Creation, and the Fall of Lucifer
Plasterers The Creation up to the Fifth Day
Cardmakers Creation of Adam and Eve
Fullers (Preparers of woolen cloth) Adam and Eve in Eden
Coopers (Maker of wooden casks) The Fall of Man
Armourers Expulsion from Eden
Glovers Sacrifice of Cain and Abel
Shipwrights Building of the Ark
Fishers and Mariners Noah and his Wife
Parchmenters and Bookbinders Abraham and Isaac
Hosiers Departure of the Israelites from Egypt;Ten Plagues; Crossing of the Red Sea
Spicers Annunciation and Visitation
Pewterers and Founders Joseph's Trouble about Mary
Tile-thatchers Journey to Bethlehem
Chandlers (Candlemakers) Shepherds
Masons Coming of the Three Kings to Herod
Goldsmiths Coming of the Kings: Adoration
Marshals (Grooms) Flight into Egypt
Girdlers and Nailers Slaughter of the Innocents
Being a promenade performance, each playlet was enacted in a different part of the auditorium with the audience following the action, so although the band volume remained the same, the unamplified voice levels of the actors varied as to how close they were to me!!!
CD 1
01 Intro dance
02 The Creation, and the Fall of Lucifer
03 Adam & Eve
04 Cain and Abel
05 Building of the Ark/Noah and his Wife
06 Abraham and Isaac
07 Gabriel
08 Joseph and Mary
CD 2
09 Joseph and Mary end
10 Coming of the Three Kings to Herod
11 The shepherds
12 Slaughter of the Innocents
13 Finale - Shepherds Arise/Grand Circle Dance
Music Director/guitar/vocals - Graeme Taylor
bass guitar/vocals - Jonathan Davie
trumpet/flugelhorn - Howard Evans
Tenor & Bass Trombones, Euphonium & Tuba - Roger Williams
keyboard - Stephen King (?)
percussion - Michael Gregory
vocals - Bill Caddick
vocals Maggie Holland