The best recorded performance of medieval theater, in my experience, is a
three-part video of "The Mysteries" done by the National Theatre (directed
by Bill Bryden) in Britain in 1985. "The Mysteries" is an amalgam of
Northern English cycle drama (mostly York and Wakefield) created by Tony
Harrison and performed at the National (in the Cottlesloe) between 1978
(or thereabouts) and 1985. The production itself was something of a
sensation when all three parts were performed together in '85, and the
video, which I use in teaching medieval drama, successfully captures the
sense of audience involvement that Bryden's production fostered. It's not
a "medievalizing" production, but one that attempts to make the plays
work for a modern audience.
I believe the video is available for hire or purchase in the US from Films
for the Humanities, but maybe someone on the list has more specific
information on this.
There's also a fine film of the N-Town Passion (directed by Edgar Schell)
done by a theater group at UC Irvine, but I'm not sure how one can obtain
it.
Michael O'Connell
English
University of California, Santa Barbara
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