In July 2018 we presented the Norwich Medieval Mystery Plays in two parts at two venues, Norwich Castle's Keep and Norwich Cathedral's Cloisters. A local community cast was recruited for the production, with some participants having never taken part in a production of this kind before and others having some previous experience. They were joined by a small cast of professional performers. Alongside the production we ran our first schools programme, working with 240 local children in four schools.
The 2018 Norwich Medieval Mystery Plays Production and Schools Programme was supported by
Illustration by Beverley Gene Coraldean Design by Leanne Butterworth Photography by Richard Jarmy
The 2018 plays featured a transcript of the only remaining mystery pertaining to Norwich, The Grocer's Play - Fall of Man, along with plays adapted from the N-Town Cycle and a new telling of the story of David and Goliath.
The plays were performed in the following order and audiences were able to see both parts at Norwich Castle and at Norwich Cathedral.
Part One Creation, The Fall of the Rebel Angels, Paradyse and the Fall of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah's Flood, Abraham and Isaak, Moses and the Pharaoh.
Part Two The conflict of David and Goliath, The ~Nativity, The Baptism of Christ, The Passion, The Resurrection, The Last Judgement.
Cast
Rowena Croston-Clegg, Rachel Kirby, Monty Jordan, Gavin Bromley, Helen Vine, Hollie Harrington, Alex Gale, David Wood, Samantha Elmhurst, Tracey Hobbs, Tom Francis, Katherine Evans
Creatives
The production was directed by Peter Beck, with original music by composer Robin Forrest
Peter Beck
Robin Forrest
Richard Jarmy
Katy Lavington Woods
Louise Cole
Mark Ivan Benfield
David Rees
Helen Vinsen
Vicky Moore
Andrew Stevenson
Gavin Bromley
Karen Davies
Julie Hewitt
The production was stage managed by Karen Davies. Scenery, props and costumes were created by Peter Beck, Gavin Bromley, Katy Lavington Woods, Karen Davies and Andrew Stevenson. Marketing and publicity was by Helen Vinsen and Mark Ivan Benfield at MOA Marketing. Louise Cole was our producer, Vicky Moore our BSL translator and Richard Jarmy took our photographs. Julie Hewitt and David Rees were our singers. Thank you to Bill Vine, Poppy Stevenson, Jayne Gladden and Shannah McGauren.