Lincoln Mystery Plays 1981

Lincoln Cathedral 22 June-4 July

1981

Picture Galleries

reviews

MEDIEVAL DRAMA AMIDST COBBLED STREETS

“Ego sum. My name is known. God and King.” The masked figure resplendently gowned in gold and white, stands at the highest point of a scaffold. Behind him is the Norman arch of Lincoln Cathedral, begun in 1072. God and a panoply of Christian characters speak verse from a medieval manuscript, one of only four extrant from England’s great period of religious drams- the Middle Ages. Today, the effect may not be as profound as the last production of the play- four centuries ago. But the drama has dimensions byond those of a religious and communa celebration.

…A wide sense of community is evident in the audience. “priorto our June 22 opening, 95% of bookings were from outside of Lincolnshire,” says Mr Ramsay. “One woman phoned for tickets from Borneo.” On the night I saw the Lincoln Cycle, I sat in the square outside the towering cathedral between a Japanese professor and a German businessman.

…And the outdor dramas offer audiences a rare opportunity to visit the past in more than the imagination…

On the night I saw the Lincoln Cycle, nature made its contribution with a real roll of thunder just after Christ’s death on the Cross. I could easily imagine the awe of the medieval audience.”

Holly Hill
Wall Street Journal, 31.7.1981

“Last night for the first time in 500 yeras, the Lincoln Mystery Plays were peformed in their original setting before the Monarch’s Door on the West Front of the ancient Cathedral.

…Unlike the more familiar York cycle, in which plays were a handicraft of many guilds, the Lincoln plays were probably scripted by traveling priests or monks.

The local archives have many manuscripts to prove the continual use of the script within and around the cathedral, the medieval sponsors, being the local craftsmen’s guild of St Annes.

…There are 15 simple home-spun playsand as such they aregiven. There are no frills. we are always at the hart of Medieval life, the humours are broad, the voices roughened.

It is as if we have before us the members of the original guild of St Annes.”

Desmond Pratt
Yorkshire Post 23.6.1981

cast

The Creation

God
Lucifer
Adam
Eve
Gabriel
The Good Angel
The Evil Angel

Jack Jones
Derek Fuke
Geoff Powis
Clare Stopford
Janet Collins
Irene North
Peter Somerville

Cain and Abel

Cain
Abel
God
Adam

Tony Dickinson
Duncan Greig
Jack Jones
Geoff Powis

Salutation and Conception

God
The Son
Holy Ghost
Joseph
Gabriel
Mary

Jack Jones
Joseph Charles
Gordon Jackson
Ron Jeffreys
Janet Collins
Karen Johnson

Birth of Christ

Joseph
Mary
Dame
Zelomy
Salome

Ron Jeffreys
Karen Jackson
Julie Mansfield
Jane Fish
Pat Applewhite

The Adoration of the Shepherds

Good Angel
First Shepherd
Second Shepherd
Third Shepherd

Irene North
Jack Jones
Kevin Goodwin
Keith Linley

The Adoration of the Magi

First King
Second King
Third King
Mary 
Joseph
Good Angel

Gordon Jackson
Chris Thorne
Alwyne Warnes
Karen Jackson
Ron Jeffreys
Irene North

Massacre of the Innocents


Steward
Herod
First Soldier
Second Soldier
First Woman
Second Woman
Good Angel
Joseph
Mary
Death

Gordon Brenchley
John Challen
Barry Linney
Richard Main
Carol Butler
Lindy Nahmud
Irene North
Ron Jeffreys
Karen Jackson
Gordon Jackson

The Temptation

Jesus
Satan

Joseph Charles
Derek Fuke

The Passion

Satan
Annas
Caiaphas
Rufin
Leyon
First Doctor
Second Doctor
Peter
John
Ostler
First Citizeness
Second Citizeness
Third Citizeness
Fourth Citizeness
Child
Gamaliel
Poor Man
Poor Woman
Simon the Leper
Mary Magdalene
Judas
Good Angel

Derek Fuke
Gordon Jackson
Tony Dickinson
Lionel Maskery
Richard Main
David Wilson
Chris Thorne
Ron Jeffreys
Alwyne Warnes
Gordon Brenchley
Kate Tolson
Pauline Hardy
Alison Smith
Amanda Parker
Andrew Somerville
Peter Somerville
Stephen Bull
Joyce Wright
Graham Roos
Sheila Buckthorpe
Keith Linley
Irene North

Trial Before Herod

Herod
First Soldier
Second Soldier
Messenger
Servant
Caiaphas
Annas
First Doctor
Second Doctor
First Jew
Second Jew
Third Jew
First Serving Woman
Second Serving Woman
Jesus

John Challen
John Bangay
Duncan Greig
Andrew Somerville
Graham Roos
Tony Dickinson
Gordon Jackson
David Wilson
Chris Thorne
Barry Linney
Richard Main
Gordon Brenchley
Penny Bustin
Lisa Robinson
Joseph Charles

The Trial Before Pilate

First Doctor
Second Doctor
Annas
Herod
First Jew
Second Jew
Third Jew
Pilate
First Woman
Second Woman
Jesus

David Wilson
Chris Thorne
Gordon Jackson
John Challen
Barry Linney
Richard Main
Gordon Brenchley
Geoff Powis
Barbara Beard
Rosemary Ingleton
Joseph Charles

The Crucifixion

First Jew
Second Jew
Third Jew
Fourth Jew
Simon of Syrene
Veronica
Mary
Jesus
Mary Magdalene
Martha
John
Annas
Caiaphas
Pilate

Barry Linney
Richard Main
Gordon Brenchley
Stephen Bull
John Bangay
Kim Simpson
Gillian Hardcastle
Joseph Charles
Sheila Buckthorpe
Janet Littleover
Alwyne Warnes
Gordon Jackson
Tony Dickinson
Geoff Powis

Deposition and Burial

Nicodemus
Joseph of Aramathea
Pilate
First Soldier
Second Soldier
Longeus
Mary

David Wilson
Lionel Maskery
Geoff Powis
Stephen Bull
Paul Felgatie
Duncan Greig
Gillian Hardcastle

The Resurrection

Jesus
Mary

Joseph Charles
Gillian Hardcastle

Doomsday

Michael
Gabriel
First Evil Soul
Second Evil Soul
Belial
Beelzebub
First Saved Soul
God
Peter

Chris Thorne
Janet Collins
Gabrielle Hadley
Sue Wall
Kate Tolson
Tony Dickinson
Annabelle Lee
Jack Jones
Ron Jeffreys

The company also included Ann Kellett, Frances Parker, Joanna Lucas, Miranda Lee, Laura McGinlay, Di Hughes, Gudrun Hughes, Morag Hughes, Denise Stock, Jane Marschner, Ruth Warren, Helen Rollinson, Katy Middleton, Maria Kennedy, Anne Rigby, Bill Rigby, Rebecca Rigby, Andrew Rigby, Katy Mayes, Owen Mayes, Justin Lavash, Leslie Bedford, Brian Story, Linda Durance, Anne Atkinson, Debbie Bulley, Rebecca Knox, Sarah Knox, Clare Hazeldene, Tom Pye, Maureen Robshaw, Helen Robshaw, Janet Littleover, Caroline Wilson, Jill Gordon, Christine Reynolds, Jo-Ann Empson, Sarah Mander, Sonya Clay, Annie Hall, Guy Hall, Naomi Hall, Kate Hall, Chantelle Thornley, Jeannine Thornley, Helene Jones, Simon Horton, Sarah Kent and others.
Singers and Musicians
John Bannister, Jane Hall, Cathy Simmons, Viv McVeagh, Jo Gadsby, Cathryn Turner, Tim Ball, Judith Faux, Angela Austin, Elizabeth Miller, Debbie Burbridge, Peter C Wellsted, Barbara Beard, Jackie Mitchell, Linda Pearce, Sarah Mitchell.

Choreographer
Director of Music
Prompters

Janet Hauton
John Bannister
Mary Stokes, Mary Gallacher

Executive Committee

Chairman
Treasurer
Director
Executive Secretary
Box Office Executive
Box Office
Cathedral Liaison
Arena Manager

Canon Rex Davis
Gay Hadfield
Keith Ramsay
Jan Ayres
Joan Herd
Dawn Williams
Cecil Jollands
John Bangay

Production Team

Director
Assisted by
Stage Manager
Deputy Stage Manager
Stagehands

Set
Lighting Director
Rigging Consultant
Supervisor Riggers
Assistant Electricians
Sound Engineering
Photograph
Costume Designer
Wardrobe Mistress

Keith Ramsay
Gillian Hardcastle
Peter Burton
John Harris
Tracy MacIntyre, Julie Spalding, Sue Lewis, Lisa Jenny Schwartz
John Bangay, Keith Ramsay
Nigel Clarke
Allan Bartlett
John Chapman, Dave Potter,John Vernon
Chris Stow, Dave Dray
Pro-Sound Services, John Cooper, Bob White
G A De Cozar, G A Young, Harbour & Coffey
Anne Etherington
Mary Knox