What's a Mummers Play?

Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Hester
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 11:50 AM

Hi, Ian:

Thanks for that. Will you be publishing your piece on the Mumming Play and its connection (or lack thereof) to the Commedia Dell'Arte? I'd be interested to read it.

Speaking of the Commedia Dell' Arte, do you have any information on the origin of the Harlequin figure? In _Santa Claus: Last of the Wild Men_, Phyllis Seifkert suggests the Harlequin draws upon imagery of the medieval wildman figure (as she claims Santa and Robin Hood also do). Her arguments are not paricularly compelling, though. I wonder if the Harlequin is related in some way to the Saturnalian Lord of Misrule?

And speaking of Punch and Judy, Brewer in his _Dictionary of Phrase and Fable_, mentions but rejects an interesting folk etymology for the name of this puppet play:

"The most popular derivation of Punch and Judy is _Pontius cum Judæis_ (Matt. xxvii. 19), an old mystery play of _Pontius Pilate and the Jews_; but the Italian policinello seems to be from pollice, a thumb (Tom-thumb figures), and our Punch is from paunch."

Cheers, Hester

Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?
From: IanC
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 12:30 PM

Hester

I have read, though not yet entirely verified to my satisfaction, that the Harlequin costume of coloured diamonds originated in the rag costume (still used by some mummers), being a stylised version.

If that's so, some linking of Harlequin with the mediaeval figure may well be in order. You have to remember that Commedia Dell' Arte is very stylised though, and undoubtedly Harlequin came from more than one original stereotype, so I wouldn't read too much into the connection.

As regards Punch, earlier versions of the show call him Punchinello and the history is quite well documented. Here's one of the very good history pages on the web. Here's another one ...

:-)
Ian

Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?
From: michaelr
Date: 21 Nov 02 - 09:37 PM

There is a definite Germanic connection with Mummer's plays, in that the German word "Mumme" means a (scary) mask, and "Mummen-schanz" (the second part, according to my venerable dictionary, from the French "chance") is a traditional masked play, much like what was witnessed by Penny S. in Austria.

Cheers,
Michael

Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Hester
Date: 22 Nov 02 - 04:13 PM

In a bibliography on traditional Persian dance, I found a vague reference to:

"Winter rituals, not unlike European mumming, that include dance".

Does anyone know anything about the "mumming" customs in Iran?

Cheers, Hester

Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?
From: IanC
Date: 15 Jul 03 - 12:42 PM

Just to start a hare again, here's an essay associated with the REED project which helps us a little with why medieval drama isn't always easy to find. This is the bit I like ...

The Toronto project Records of Early English Drama (begun in 1977, ten volumes so far, out of a projected thirty-five) shows, however, that the surviving text corpus is completely unrepresentative of what was actually going on. After REED, every history of early English theater will have to be re-written. Between 1400 and 1650, virtually every town in Great Britain, and notably southern communities, had religious and folk festival theater of some kind. The same is true for continental Europe and Germany. Wherever archival records from this period survive, you will, if you care to look, find references to theater. The plays REED so richly documents for England were not cycles, but, as on the continent, single plays (Nativity, Ephiphany, Passion, Easter, Pentecost, Saint, May, Robin Hood, tournament, dance plays), not movable in performance, but stationary (scaffolds in open places). Between 1400 and 1650, theater was a church and civic mass medium of extraordinary importance. Movies play a similar role in our society. Much of the culture of these centuries (town, court, university) is theatrical. We only realized this when we started looking at unpublished archival sources.

And here's an interesting bit of a Doctor's speech from a play circa 1475.

All manar off men yt haue any syknes
To Mast Brentberecly loke that yow redresse
What dysease or syknesse that ever ye haue
He wyll nev leve yow tyll ye be i yow graue
Who hat ye canker ye collyke or ye laxe
The tercyan ye quartan or ye brynnyng axs
For wormys for gnawyg gryndyg i ye wombe or i ye boldyro
All man red eyn bleryd eyn & ye mydgrym also
For hedache bonache & therto ye tothache
The colt-evyll and the brostyn men he wyll undertak
All tho yt ye poose ye sneke or ye tyseke
Thowh a ma wre ryght heyle he cowd soone make hym sek
Inquyre to ye colkote for ther ys hys loggyng
A lytell besyde Babwell Myll yf ye wyll haue undstodyg


I'm getting near the first of a series of articles about origins of the mummers play, so watch this space ...

:-)

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: LadyJean
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 12:28 AM

I produced a mummer's play, "The Fool and his Sons" at an S.C.A. event several years ago. In it a king courts a queen, the sons do a sword dance, and the fool acts like a fool. There is no St. George or Turkish Knight, no fighting, and no ressurrection. Just a lot of macho posturing.
The Paxton letters, fifteenth century correspondence, describe something like a mummer's play. Beatrix Potter describes children mumming in turn of the century England at Easter time.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: IanC
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 04:17 AM

LadyJean

The Paston letters don't actually describe a mummers play (though a manuscript, including part of a script of Robin Hood and The Sherrif of Nottingham, dated 1475, has been associated with John Paston). There is an excerpt which states that a servant was retained for playing in the Robin Hood and St George plays. Here 'tis.

[16 April 1473]
To John Paston Esquer in Norffolk
[...]
No mor, but I have ben and ame troblyd with myn over large and curteys delyng with my servants, and now with ther onkynd nesse; Plattyng, yowr men wolde thys daye byd me ffar well to to morrow at Dover, notwithstandyng Thryston yowr other man is ffrom me, and John Myryell, and W. Woode whyche promysed yow and Dawbeney, God have hys sowle, at Castre, that iff ye wolde take hym in to be ageyn with me, that then he wold never goo ffro me, and ther uppon I have kepyd hym thys iij. yer to pleye Seynt Jorge and Robyn Hod and the Shryff off Notyngham, and now when I wolde have good horse he is goon into Bernysdale, and I withowt a keeper.

Wryten at Canterburye, to Caleys warde on Tewesday and happe be, uppon Good Frydaye the xvj. daye off Apryll, Anno E. iiijti xiijo

Yowr J.P., K.

[...]

John Paston was a bit of a joker too, as the description of his servant as "goon into bernysdale" is obviously a quote from the Robin Hood play!

:-)

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: The Shambles
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 06:04 AM

The past of course is very interesting but possibly a word on the threats presented to the present and future of the custom - would be timely?

Our new Licensing Act does have a specific exemption for performance of Morris, or dancing of a like kind and music as an integral part of that performance - but it would appear to me that the threat to mumming plays still exists?

Mummers play stopped Cerne Abbas

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Doktor Doktor
Date: 16 Jul 03 - 06:59 AM

Sure does

What we're doing this Friday evening at the Gibberd Garden in Harlow will be illegal next year unless all manner of hurdles are jumped. Given the amazing collection of beaurocratic minds at the Town Hall I rather doubt that there will be much in the way of al fresco outdoor entertainments in future .......

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 08:57 PM

There was a very intersting article about mummers plays on Radio 4 this week, not sure exactly what the programme was called, but i think it is called "The History Hour", or something very similar, it was on on monday afternoon, you can hear it on the BBC Radio 4 website, just click the listen again thing.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 10:41 PM

Professor Dale Cockrell has written a book entitled "Demons of Disorder" in which he traces blackface minstrelsy in part back to the mumming plays.

I also see a great resemblance between mumming plays and the Masonic 3rd Degree ritual called "The Murder of Hiram Abiff."

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: LadyJean
Date: 29 Oct 03 - 11:48 PM

I believe the Paxton letters also mention a play of St. George and the Dragon.
I had a dozen women and three men, for a play with 14 male roles, and one female.
I bought a lot of cheesey looking fake mustaches, and had the one female role played by a man. It may not have been authentic, but it worked.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: The Shambles
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 02:16 AM

Click here for the BBC site where you can hear the item.

The mumming piece is about two thirds through - after the bit about
overarm/underarm bowling in cricket. It is a short history of mumming and makes no reference to its treatment under current or future legislation but does mention past legal attempts to ban the activity.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: mouldy
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 02:52 AM

The play performed in some areas of the East Midlands (Cropwell Bishop, and Farnsfield, Notts, for example) was one with Bold Tom as the narrator, his entrance followed by the Recruiting Sergeant, Young Man (who enlists), his lady, Farmer's Man, Sankey Benny (pedlar), Dame Jane (with illegitimate child, said to be Bold Tom's), and then Beelzebub, who challenges anybody who will stand before him and fight. Dame Jane obliges and is clubbed to the ground. Enter the Doctor, etc.

Now part of this play has a definite point of origin (Recruiting Sergeant), but who can say that it wasn't a "updating" of an earlier form: the Recruiting Sergeant, one of the first figures to enter, and the Young Man and the Lady become mere incidental characters after they have recited their verses and the young man is enlisted. I suspect that most of the characters, except the Doctor and Beelzebub, are relatively recent "tweakings" from the lines they speak, but they could have also been contemporary updates from the time of the Recruiting Sergeant. Audiences always react well to things they can relate to, and many performances have topical additions to the script.

On the other hand, it could have been written and first performed in the last couple of hundred years!

My husband used to be in the group that performs this play around Calverton, Notts. He made a wonderful entrance in clog-irons on a sloping tiled floor one year: "In comes I, the farmer's man..." CRASH! Trouble was, it went down so well he had to do a fall at every subsequent performance that year.

Andrea

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: AggieD
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 07:00 AM

And then of course there's the infamous & very contemporary Bedfordshire Lace 'Dadders Play', the total antidote to all things traditionally male! :)

GUEST AR282, my husband can see no similarity to Mumming & any degree whatsoever of Freemasonry, which is based on a symbolic representation of Biblical Stories. He would also like to know how you come to that conclusion. There are however plenty of links between Freemasonry & traditional folk music & songs, eg 'The Mason's Apron', & some folk tunes are used in the ceremonies & celebrations.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 12:06 PM

The basic mumming play involved a hero, a villain, a woman and a healer. The hero and villain vie for the hand of the woman and end up battling one another. The villain slays the hero. Then all is thought to be lost. Then the healer shows up and resurrects the hero and the villain is vanquished.

In the 3rd Degree story, 3 craftsmen try to extort the Master's Word from Hiram Abiff--the master builder of Solomon's Temple. When their attempts to extort the Word fail, the 3 craftsmen kill him and bury his body. Upon locating his grave, Solomon pulls Hiram's body up using the Lion's Paw grip and the secret word is then divulged via the 5 points of fellowship. The 3 craftsmen are executed and Hiram lives on in the new initiate.

So, in both stories, you have a villain who wants something from the hero. They battle, the hero is slain, then he is raised up.

Now I'm not saying, mind you, that the 3rd Degree descended from mumming plays necessarily. I am saying there are definite similarities and so at least have their genesis in the same legend.

What legend? The age-old legend that is repeated from Ancient Egypt to Sumeria to Ancient India to Scandinavia to Greece to Christianity. The story of the dying god. Christianity is nothing new--same old story with a new location and new characters playing the same old roles.

It goes back ultimately to astronomy. The mumming villain usually wore a darkened face. He represents what all such villains do--darkness. In this case, that darkness is that which falls starting at the autumnal equinox after which the days get shorter, i.e. the sun is "slain" by a "dark giant" (yes, that includes David and Goliath). After the passing of the winter solstice, however, the sun is "resurrected" and so the days grow longer and light returns.

The problem with masonry acting out supposedly biblical stories occurs when we try to locate this story of the slaying of Hiram Abiff in the bible. Can you find it? The ritual uses biblical characters but it cannot be the reenactment of a biblical story. But the plot of the story can be found in Christianity because it is the story of Jesus Christ. But, as stated, the same plot is found in many other religions--many of them substantially pre-dating Christianity.

I would say that the mumming play and the 3rd deree ritual both descend from mystery plays such as those popular among the Greeks at one time.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,Q
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 01:18 PM

The unifying thread is that in theatre a good plot is often revised and recast. Parallel developments occur; seeking for "the one true origin" ends in fruitless speculation.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 01:37 PM

Yes, the plot turns up over and over again in the most disparate places. Often, it is so disparate that people are positive that one could not be connected to the other.

I laugh when I hear kids talking about how great "8 Mile" the Eminem movie is. I became curious, so I watched it when it came out on cable. It's the movie "Crossroads" all over again!!! Watch both and pay close attention to the endings of each. And, really, you find the same plot redone in different garb in "White Men Can't Jump". This new tv show I keep seeing trailers for--"Skin"--is just Romeo and Juliet all over again.

Then again, it's difficult to see, on the face it, any connection between mumming plays and blackface minstrelsy. Read Professor Cockrell's excellent book and any doubt will be removed. He does a very thorough job of showing the connection. Chris Ware, a ragtime/minstrelsy enthusiast in Chicago, then produced a spate of 19th century minstrel photos and old postcards with connections so close to the mumming play that, if any doubt might remain after reading Cockrell's book, there could be little doubt of the connection after examining Mr. Ware's photo exhibit.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: AggieD
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 01:39 PM

The husband is of course not allowed to divulge the secret depths of Freemasonry to his little wifey, but he informs me that he can see no resemblance between Freemasonry & mumming, although if he admitted to any, then I would pull his leg about it, just as he has mine about cavorting about wearing strange costume & Morris dancing all these years.

As GuestQ says, a good plot will always be used down the centuries, & will be adapted by each different culture. Many ancient cultures have some type of revival ceremony.

I'm afraid that personally I don't like to over analyse any traditional acts, as I think we could be in danger of simply making them museum & study pieces rather than living breathing customs.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 30 Oct 03 - 01:53 PM

There's nothing secret about the Hiram Abiff story. It can be found on the internet and in any number of books on Freemasonry. I encourage any and all to examine both the mumming play plot and the Hiram Abiff plot and draw their own conclusions regarding similarities.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Rt Revd Sir jOhn from Hull
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 03:57 AM

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 12 Dec 04 - 08:07 PM

My father's father used to recite 'In comes I little devil doubt, no matter how you try you can not cast me out'

and lots more - there seemed to be a larger and a lesser devil, the larger one was armed - 'in my hand a frying pan', then I think it was 'on my head a rusty pail' - and there was a broomstick which at times was ridden like a hobby horse, and the threat 'I'll sweep you all about' if money 'give us a penny, or an 'aipenny will do' was not forthcoming.

Grandad lived in Derbyshire - in the village of Youlgreave in the 1920s as my Dad attended, or not, the village school. It might have been there, or when Grandad was a lad. He was very small - about 4ft 6inches as an adult - it is genetic I think - my sister is under 5 ft. My Dad and brother had/have small feet and hands.

Of course when he was around I was not in the least interested in finding out what all the nonsense was about - he went through it so often I can still recall snatches, even though it was over 40 years ago I can see him now going through all the actions and the words - 'with my big head and little wit'

anyone recognise the source of the play and the characters?

Anne

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: IanC
Date: 13 Dec 04 - 09:03 AM

Anne

More or less any "hero combat" style mummers play.

Try looking at the collection of 220 scripts here.

:-)

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,pulchritude
Date: 19 Feb 05 - 08:41 PM

Wooooooow

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: GUEST,Anne Croucher
Date: 20 Feb 05 - 12:06 PM

Thanks for the link - the character Grandad played was Devil doubt, which appears in one of the Derbyshire plays, and there are similar lines, but not the exact ones - I am assuming that his memory was a true one - he could recall the exact same words every time, in the same timing and with gestures.

I have not been through all of them, and there seems to be no index of characters, so it is a matter of trawling through all of them - as I am not sure where some of the places are.

There must be quite a few people who remember that their grandparents had knowledge they could easily have aquired, and discover too late that it was significant -

Anne

Subject: Folklore: Mummers Plays
From: GUEST,Rej Bullhorn
Date: 05 Feb 07 - 05:10 PM

Morris Federation members, the Knaresborough Mummers launched their new website in January this year. Rather than attempting to making sense of the complex history of Mumming, the website concentrates on the history of the team, how they got together and how they developed their style of performance over their 32 year existence. Team members John Burrell and Ted Dodsworth have compiled the extensive archive of plays, the origins and photographs of different versions throughout the life of the team, together with statistics of the many performers who have been members down the years. John, a founder member of the team, is hoping this might jog a few memories and encourage people to look in their own photographic collections for pictures of the team, particularly in the early years.

The Christmas Blue Stots tours this year raised a record collection for local charities and among beneficiaries this year will be the English Folk Dance and Song Society in memory of Nigel Hudleston, who did an enormous amount of work with his wife, collecting folk traditions, including texts of Blue Stots performances in the area.

The website is at   www.knaresboroughmummers.org.uk   If you have any material which you think might be of interest to the team, contact John Burrell on 01423 566112 or email:   [e-mail]

Subject: RE: Folklore: Mummers Plays
From: Flash Company
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 10:45 AM

Bob Morton and The Union Folk used to do a version which I believe originated from Alderley Edge in Cheshire, The basic Saint (King) George and the Turkish Knight story line. As I recall, Frank was the narrator, Kenny was King George, Steve was The Turkish Knight, Bob was The Doctor and Martin was Father Chris-me-as.
Happy Days

FC

Subject: RE: Folklore: Mummers Plays
From: Stu
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 10:56 AM

The Alderley Edge Mummers still perform in the Macclesfield area in January.

For the second time in two years they came to The Harrington Arms in Gawsworth where our ancient and fine session is still going strong despite the fact the pub has changed hands in the past few months (the new licencees seem keen for the music to continue, so let's hope they stay true to their word).

It's always a joy to see the mummers when they come around (they finish up in most excellent Waters Green Tavern in town). They are fine players and Bold Slasher's death scene is almost worthy of a Shakepeare play.

Long may they continue!

Subject: RE: Folklore: Mummers Plays
From: Scrump
Date: 06 Feb 07 - 11:10 AM

Round our way, the Brafront Guisers do a more or less traditional Mummers play. (No I don't know how they got their name! Often wondered!)

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 26 Dec 15 - 05:23 PM

Malcolm mentions the "Traditional Drama Research Group" above, but the link he gave is dead.

I found a "Folk Play Research Group" at http://www.folkplay.info/. Checking the old link at archive.org, it's clear the new link is the same organization, with a slight name change. It's a good Website to spend some time with.

-Joe-

---

Up above, DMcG gave a definition of a Mummer's Play:

Thread #49704   Message #751442
Posted By: DMcG
20-Jul-02 - 01:52 AM
Thread Name: What's a Mummers Play?
Subject: RE: BS: What's a Mummers Play?


A mummer's play is a traditional play, usually performed at either Easter or Christmas (but these days at any opportunity!) It has a cast consisting of most of the following and perhaps a few more

- St George
- A Turkish Knight
- A Doctor
- A fool
- A 'wife' which is a man dressed as a woman


The action is usually a short speech by each character:

In comes I, St George the hero bold
With my bloody spear I gained a thousand pounds in gold
I fought the firey dragon and brought him to the slaughter
And by that means I won the Queen of Egypt's daughter

then a fight bewteen St George and the Turkish Knight during which St George gets killed. The doctor is called and brings him back to life by his medicine:

I can cure the itch, the stitch, the palsy and the gout
All aches within and pains without

.. is a typical sort of declaration. Once St George is resurrected, all sing. The song "Come Write me Down (The Wedding Song)" is from a mummer's play and is the wedding between the fool and the wife.

There is a lot of variation, but the basic structure is pretty common

---

That sounds like a perfect description of the annual (chiefly Mudcat) Mummer's Play at the FSGW Getaway, produced by the inimitable Jacqui Morse. Do you mean to tell me that Jacqui's giving us the Real Thing? It's always fun, but I had no idea it was authentic.
There's a database of play scripts at http://www.folkplay.info/Texts.htm. Anybody have any favorite scripts they'd like to post here. Jacqui, where'd you get your script from?

-Joe-

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: FreddyHeadey
Date: 26 Dec 15 - 07:39 PM

I don't see it above so it might be worth mentioning this page for info and current dates(though I've noticed several groups don't always log their diary dates here)



http://www.mastermummers.org/index.htm

Subject: ADD: The Overton Mummers' Play
From: Joe Offer
Date: 27 Dec 15 - 12:22 AM

My wife and I were talking about mummers' plays this afternoon, and I thought it might be nice to have a thread with a collection of scripts for mummers' plays. This one is from The Winter Solstice, a book by John Matthews.

THE OVERTON MUMMERS' PLAY
A TALE OF OLD CHRISTMAS

Dramatis Personae
FATHER CHRISTMAS
KING GEORGE
TURKISH KNIGHT
(a brave fellow)
THE DOCTOR
(a quack)
TWING TWANG
(a fool)

---

(ENTER FATHER CHRISTMAS)

FATHER CHRISTMAS
In comes I, old Father Christmas
Welcome or welcome not,
I hope old Father Christmas
Will never be forgot.

TWING TWANG
I hope he won't be here.

FATHER CHRISTMAS
Christmas comes but once a year
When it does it brings good cheer;
With a pocket full of money
And a cellar full of beer.
Roast beef plum pudding and mince pie.
Who likes them better than I?

TWING TWANG
I do!


FATHER CHRISTMAS
I don't know that you do my little fella.
But I want room, acres of room,
For after me comes King George, with all his noble train.
In this room there shall soon be a battle
More dreadful than ever was known,
Betwixt King George and the Turkish Knight.
Enter in King George, and boldly clear the way,
For old Father Christmas has only got
A short time for to stay.

(ENTER KING GEORGE)

KING GEORGE
In comes I, King George, so bold, so grand.
I do appear, with my old tribes and Britons
By my side. I am come to close this year.
Here is England's rights, here England's wrongs,

Here's England's admirations.
When I pull out my old trusty rapier,
Is there a man before me can stand
That I can't knock him down
With my created hand?

(ENTER TURKISH KNIGHT)

TURKISH KNIGHT
In comes I, the Turkish Knight,
Just come from Turkey Land old
England for to fight.
I'll fight thee King George,
That valiant man of courage bold,
Let the blood be never so hot
I'll shortly draw it cold.

KING GEORGE
'Twas I that fought the fiery dragon
And brought him to his slaughter,
And by that fight I hope to win
The Queen of Egypt's daughter.
If any man dare to enter this hall
I'll cut off his head and kick it about like a football!

(KING GEORGE AND THE TURKISH KNIGHT BATTLE AND THE TURKISH KNIGHT FALLS DEAD)

FATHER CHRISTMAS
King George, King George, what hast thou done?
Thou has ruined me by the killing of my son.
Oh, is there a Doctor to be found,
To heal this noble Turk a-bleeding on the ground?

(ENTER DOCTOR)

DOCTOR
Oh Yes, Oh Yes, there is a Doctor to be found
To cure this noble Turk a-bleeding on the ground.

FATHER CHRISTMAS
What can you cure, Doctor?

DOCTOR
I can cure the itch, the stitch, the palsy and the gout,
The raging pain within and the raging pain without.
If the devil's in a man, i'll fetch him out.
Give me an old woman, four score and ten,
With scarce a stump of a tooth in her head,
I will make her young and plump again.
More than this. If she falls downstairs and breaks her neck,
I'll settle and charge nothing for my fees.
Recollect I'm not like one of those bony quack doctors
Who runs from door to door telling a pack of lies,
I will shortly raise the dead before your eyes.

KING GEORGE
Where have you been learning all these things, Doctor?

DOCTOR
I've been to England, Ireland, Scotland and Dover,
I've traveled the wide world over.

KING GEORGE
What is your fee, Doctor?

DOCTOR
Ten guineas is my fee. Thee being a poor man,
Half of that I'll take of thee.

KING GEORGE (HANDING HIM SOME MONEY)
Take that and cure him.

DOCTOR
I've a little bottle in the waistband of my belt
Called "The Golden Frosty Drop"
A little to the eye, a little to the thigh,
A little to the string bone of the heart,
Rise up, thou noble Turk, and try to stand.
See the time of day.
After you've one, put out your tongue,
And let's hear what you can say.

(THE DOCTOR ADMINISTERS A LARGE DOSE OF HIS CONCOCTION,
AT WHICH THE TURKISH KNIGHT JUMPS UP ALIVE AGAIN.)

FATHER CHRISTMAS
Well done, my little man.
Thee aren't like those old quack doctors.
Thee does the work all right my lad.
Will thee have the money now
Or stop here till thee get's it?

TURKISH KNIGHT
Now see, King George, I've risen again.
How long have I been on that old floor?
I've been hurried and scurried,
I've been dragged from door to door.
Pick me up a stranger,
Knock me down a blow,
Wherever I'd have been if the ground hadn't caught me
I do not know.

SOMEONE THEN PARADES AROUND THE SPECTATORS WITH A BOX, AND THE COMPANY JOINS IN SINGING

ALL
Good Master and Mistress,
As you sit by the fire,
Remember us poor ploughboys
That run through mud and mire.
The mire it is deep,
And we travel far and near,
We will thank you for a Christmas Box
And a mug of your strong beer.


This version of the play was recorded by George Long in the village of Overton in Hampshire, England, around 1930, though it probably dates from around 1850 and in its original form as early at the twelfth century. It has been edited by John Matthews.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 22 Dec 22 - 07:08 PM

Here it is folks, the American Folklife Center 2022 Video Mummers' Play, from the Library of Congress !!

I just got a chance to watch the whole show. It is very, very clever - and very topical. And hey, Jennifer Cutting got to play her accordion.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Dec 22 - 04:57 AM

See Lancashire Legends pages 144-150

You can chose to close the donation page if it pops up but a donation does help them maintain the archive :-)

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Dec 22 - 08:54 PM

Do take the time to watch the American Folklife Center 2022 Video Mummers' Play, from the Library of Congress. It's the perfect thing to do on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 25 Dec 22 - 02:58 AM

That was wonderful :-) Thanks for the link Joe

I was a bit worried that they may take it too seriously but it was great to see them really getting into the spirit of hamming it up and having fun. They are far too good! :-D

Subject: RE: What's a Mummers Play?
From: Tattie Bogle
Date: 26 Dec 22 - 07:06 AM

For a few years, I was in the (only one in Scotland?) all - female group performing as “The Meadows Mummers”, and doing our own version of the ancient Galoshins play. As with other Mummers plays, the story is based around death and resurrection, with the “stage” (often bare pavement) littered with dead bodies who all eventually get restored to life. We had no St George, Turkish Knight, etc, but we did have a very quacky Doctor (who was also our excellent script-writer.)
My role was as presenter/narrator, but I also played short snatches of music to represent characters or events during the play, anything from the Imperial March from Star Wars (the big fight involved toy light sabres!) to the Dead March every time another character died, the Trumpet Hornpipe (Capn Pugwash theme) for our bold sea captain, or imitation sirens for the Dr’s entrance.
It was full of ham/over-acting and great fun to do, though sadly various ailments and other misfortunes have made it difficult to keep the group going.