N-Town Plays
ntown play also called hegge cycle ludus coventriae cycle cycle medieval mystery play manuscript housed british library london bl m cotton vespasian name might suggest though property thcentury antiquarian sir robert bruce cotton housed large library cotton librarian richard james quickly examined manuscript erroneously assumed contained biblical play performed coventry th th century thus naming ludus coventriae play called corpus christi mistaken case mistake proven difficult correct name ludus coventriae persists secondary critical literature well th century complication ntown play made hardin craig medieval drama called collection hegge play former owner robert hegge name hegge play briefly caught common way refer play ntown play reference last stanza opening proclamation play played ntown play toured town town n meaning nomen latin name would replaced name town cycle playing given time play ntown cycle vary simple almost liturgical recitation biblical text moses play ten commandment jesse play king prophet pentecost play highly complex fast moving short drama biblical theme naturalism liveliness death herod woman taken adultery almost unique early drama play played wagon single booth stage hand two mary play passion play written often called place scaffold production round using scaffold raised stage also platea place stage true nature manuscript hidden fact scribe arranged episode chronological order starting creation ending judgment simulating episodic play presenting salvation history two northern civic cycle york chester buried mary play inside nativity sequence copied passion play place raising lazarus resurrection appearance taken painstaking paleographic codicologic examination manuscript determine scribe actually complicate matter point history copying play proclamation attached although proclamation match play follow someone possibly scribe manuscript placed number margin text incident correspond description pageant proclamation affect single episode pageant break flow passion play obscured existence mary play century final scribal feature manuscript stage direction reflect curious mixture intent seem recording performance detail time facilitating reading manuscript meditation text rather using text enacted stage direction latin pageant mary play mix english latin passion play almost entirely english seem function much aid help reader visualise action actual practical instruction director detail costume action stage direction passion play suggest description actual performance liturgical music specified mary play assumption play including opening word piece incipit stage direction hand stage direction many pageant quite laconic scholar worked manuscript agree belongs east midland attempt made place far north lincoln even called lincoln cycle scholar period still performed shadow lincoln cathedral general consensus place manuscript east anglia stephen spector cautiously writes linguistic evidence indicates codex recorded principally exclusively scribe trained east anglia spector xxix meredith positively asserts mary play come norfolk meredith however since eclectic nature m recognised scholar hesitant insist play copied anthology played place date appears hand major scribe end purification play f v earliest possible date copying text spector concluded basis dialectal evidence play cannot predate basis watermark paper paper used main scribe come period – possible basis paper assumption play written separately different scribe bound main m copied slightly earlier safe assume m date second half third quarter ca – th century make oldest m contain large number biblical play although know play performed elsewhere late th century york manuscript written towneley m turn th century version chester play majority play make ntown cycle based rather tenuously bible others taken roman catholic legend apocryphal source folk tradition parliament heaven based one verse psalm marian play place strong emphasis early life virgin well relationship joseph play heavily upon popular medieval old man younger wife trope trial mary joseph play identified pastiche east anglian ecclesiastical court system proclamation banns play creation heaven fall rebel angel play creation world fall adam eve play cain abel play noah flood play abraham sacrifice isaac play moses ten commandment play root jesse prophecy savior play joachim anna conception mary play joachim anne presentation mary temple play marriage mary joseph play parliament heaven annunciation first part debate four daughter god play joseph doubt mary play mary visit elizabeth play trial mary joseph play nativity play annunciation visitation shepherd play play play adoration magi play purification play massacre innocent play christ doctor temple play baptism christ play parliament hell temptation desert play woman taken adultery play raising lazarus play first passion play lucifer john baptist conspiracy christ entry jerusalem play last supper play agony garden arrest christ play christ passion herod boasting trial anna caiphas play death juda trial pilate herod play pilate wife second trial pilate play procession calvary crucifixion christ play harrowing hell play burial christ guarding sepulchre play harrowing hell b christ appearance mary pilate berates soldier play three mary tomb christ play christ appearance mary magdalene play christ appearance cleophas luke thomas play ascension christ selection matthias play pentecost play assumption mary heaven play last judgment recent published edition ntown play include ntown play cotton m vespasian vols ed stephen spector oxford published early english text society oxford university press passion play ntown manuscript ed peter meredith harlow longman mary play ntown manuscript ed peter meredith harlow longamn facsimile manuscript british library also published ntown play facsimile british library m cotton vespasian viii ed peter meredith stanley j kahrl leeds university leeds school english lincoln mystery play modern performance medieval mystery play production lincoln cathedral surrounding area lincoln mystery play based ntown play inspired keith ramsay bd head drama bishop grosseteste college ramsay directed oberfuer cycle led work directing production every four year lincoln mystery play play performed lincoln cathedral southwell minster occasionally performance example mister wesley new play roy clarke performed lincoln southwell last post performed lincoln mystery play company drill hall based true story eight local beechey brother five killed world war ilincolnshire archive followed lincoln drill hall world foot steve gillard marking th anniversary ww womens football lincoln war year mystery play tell story mankind seen eye person middle age play usually set birth christ crucifixion play written middle english language ordinary people time guild production flourished year english city cromwell protestant reformation ended tradition play almost forgotten hundred year first major revival york e martin brown production lincoln cycle mystery play performed cathedral conjunction lincoln theatre royal adapted translation martial rose first performance august principal actor brian tree brian protheroe alison steadman production directed clare venables assisted rhys mcconnochie ramsay revived lincoln ntown play play lincoln directed nine production lincoln cathedral two southwell minster ramsay invited present production several international conference medieval drama company performed neustadt germany viterbo rome camerino italy perpignan france oregon united state state ramsays last production mystery play saw karen crow directing production directed geoff readman production directed john bowtell colin brimblecombe lincoln theatre royal hosted gala performance raise fund production directed angela gunstone performance actor ramsay keith lincoln mystery play personal odyssey london nerone book isbn modernised version text produced ed schell ramsay official lincoln mystery play website database website listing passion play lincoln lipdub filmed july bbc lincolnshire feature cast lincoln mystery play original text introduction play alexandra f johnston modernised version stanley j kahrl alexandra f johnston lincoln mystery play official website