Stay ConnectedA podcast tracing the development of theatre from ancient Greece to the present day through the places and people who made theatre happen. More than just dates and lists of plays we’ll learn about the social. political and historical context that fostered the creation of dramatic art.This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Chartable – https://chartable.com/privacy
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Copyright: © Copyright 2021 Philip Rowe
A bonus episode featuring Salome by Oscar Wilde. In summer 2021 I was fortunate to see the Lazarus Theatre production at the Southwark Playhouse in London. In this episode I give a brief version of the Oscar Wilde story, look at Salome in more detail and think about what the Lazarus Theatre revival brings to this lesser known play.
To see more about the work of Lazarus Theatre: www.lazarustheatrecompany.co.uk
For some of the pictures and cartoons mentioned in the podcast: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com/blog
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Episode 62
With the Reformation came the final end of the great Religious plays of the medieval period. The episode sumarises the great trends of medieval theatre and charts the final end as Europe descended into religious disagreement.
A reminder of the journey from the religious trope, thorough the folk festivals, the cycle plays, the saints play, the morality play and the interlude.
The end of Medieval Theatre as brought about by the Reformation and political and sociological changes.
Some final thoughts on the legacy of Medieval Theatre.
To support the podcast:
www.thehisotryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
www.patereon.com/thoetp
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Episode 61
Once the medieval theatre had moved out of the confines of the church and away from religious obligation a form of commercial theatre began, but how was money spent and income generated and was it profitable?
The rise of commercial theatre through the Interlude and the Travelling Players
Play expenses and income
The rising costs of the Cycle Plays and other entertainments
The actors contract
The production of 'Mystery Des Trois Doms' and what it tells us about collaboration
The relationship between the concerns of the Church, the State, and the Guilds
The player in the service of a Lord.
To support the Podcast:
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
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Episode 60
Religious theatre dominated the Medieval period, but there are some examples of works written just for fun and entertainment.
How celebrations like The Feast of Fools, The Boy Bishop and The Feast of Asses developed into secular theatre.
The rise and influence of the travelling players and the church reaction to some of their work.
The French travelling players Rutebeuf and Adam De La Hale.
French Medieval comedy
The establishment of performers guilds and the role of the player in service of a king or lord.
A rare example of political satire in Medieval France.
The Interlude and the work of Henry Medwell and John Hayward
To support the podcast:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoept
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
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Episode 59
Everyman is the most well known of all the Morality plays and probably an English adaptation of a Dutch original.
Different types of Morality Plays
The Morality play in Europe and how they differed from the English offering
A synopsys and analysis of Everyman
The Dance Macabre and the role of Death
To support the podcast:
www.thehistorofeuropenatheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 58
The Castle of Perseverance is a great example of how difficult it can be to discuss the form of a play separately from the content and in this case we have an illustration that shows how the play might have been presented
A summary of the plot of the play
Details from the manuscript about dating the play
The illustration contained in the manuscript reviewed in detail
The problems with the way the audience might have been positioned and the play presented
The role of the 'Stytlery'
The ditch and how it might have been used.
To see the illustration discussed in this episode go to the website
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
To support the podcast go to:
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
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Episode 57
The Morality play is a type of play that for all its similarities and shared heritage with the Corpus Christi cycle plays brought something new to the world of drama and had a profound effect on the future development of theatre.
How the Morality Plays are different from Cycle Plays
The Development of the ideas around the seven vices and virtues and how they developed into personified characters
The development of education in the Middle Ages and the influence on monastic preaching
The presentation of Morality plays and the move away from the church feast day
Examples of the different sort of Morality plays that we have mention of in the records
The five extant Morality Plays
The developing commercial nature of theatre including the travelling troupe of players and the booth stage
For more details on Rosslyn Chapel see:
https://thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com/blog/
https://www.rosslynchapel.com
Support the podcast at:
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
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Episode 56
The history of the Harrowing of Hell and the way it was portrayed in the cycle plays, including some thoughts on how it would have been staged and how the play comes alive when the demons and devils take to the stage.
The play of Noah and the Great Flood must have provided the medieval set designers with some real challenges. Some thoughts on how that might have been done and a look at some of the detail around the story of Mrs Noah, doves, ravens and Rainbows.
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Episode 55
The Second Shepherds play is considered the best of the medieval cycle plays. In this episode I take a look at not only the second shepherds play, but the first play as well, which is often overlooked.
Why are there two shepherd's plays in this cycle?
The plot and characters in the first play
The plot and charaters in the second play
The similarities and differences between the plays
What the plays say about the social conditions of the time
The Wakefield Master, author go the plays
Support the podcast here:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episode 54
In this episode we look at the way the cycle plays developed in the four major centres from where we have complete versions of the cycle: York, Chester, Coventry and Wakefield.
The development of the York Plays
Further details on the guilds and how they functioned in society
The development of the Chester plays
The development of the Coventry Cycle
The development of the Wakefield cycle
The N-Town cycle Manuscript
The Wakefield cycle plays
The literary merits of the plays
For the list of plays and associated guilds from York see: www.thehistoryofeuropeantheare.com/blog
Support the podcast here:
www.thehistoryofeuropeantheatre.com
www.patreon.com/thoetp
www.ko-fi.com/thoetp
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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