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THEATRE OF THE MIDDLE AGES                                         In France, Charlemagne (742-814), the
                                                                               self-styled Emperor of the Holy Roman
                                    By Cameron Hall                            Empire, decreed that death or exile
                                                                               were valid punishments for actors who
            To define the Middle Ages as the  Excommunication was the common
                                                                               wore garments of a priestly rank.
          Dark Age is something of a        fate of any performer. The Emperor
                                                                                  In this climate of repression it is not
          misrepresentation. Petrarch probably  Justinian of Byzantium is believed to
                                                                               surprising that medieval drama
          invented the term in the 1330s when he  have ordered the theatres closed upon
                                                                               emanated from Church sanctioned
          wrote of his predecessors, ‘amidst the  his brief recapture of Rome. If true,
                                                                               Christian liturgy, most particularly from
          errors there shone forth men of genius,  first-hand experience might have played
                                                                               the worship of Easter, since the
          no less keen were their eyes, although  a part in the decision. His wife, the
                                                                               Resurrection was the highlight of the
          they were surrounded by darkness and  Empress Theodora had once been a
                                                                               Christian year.
          dense gloom.’                     mime-player, notorious for shedding
            Petrarch considered that history  her clothes.                        Just as worship of the Greek god
                                                                               Dionysus was integral to the
          could be dissected into two periods, the  Conversely, Justinian also sent ships
                                                                               development of ancient Greek drama,
          classical period of the Greeks and  from Byzantium to former Roman
                                                                               Christian worship provided the
          Romans, and the age of darkness that,  colonies, not only for trade, but also in
                                                                               foundation for theatre of the Medieval
          in his opinion, had prevailed ever since.  a bid to keep the vestiges of Roman
                                                                               Age.
          Today the Dark Age usually refers to  culture alive. Theatre was of course part
                                                                                  Christian theatre progressed to
          the years that followed the fall of Rome  of that culture. It has been suggested
                                                                               large-scale pageants on the life of
          in 568AD.                         that the liturgical drama that dominated
                                                                               Christ, utilising entire church buildings.
            Was it really quite so ‘dark’ after  the immediate post-Roman age owes its
          all? Nevertheless, a general belief is  beginnings to Byzantium. If so, perhaps  In time, performance moved outdoors.
          that theatre fell to its lowest ebb during  the influence of Theodora was positive  The ecclesiastical play became the
          the Early Middle Age. Let us consider  for theatre.                  principal source of religious instruction
                                                                               for an age when illiteracy was
          the period, and then make a judgement.  Early Christian impact       significant.
          The theatre after Rome               The reticence of the Church towards  Exodus, the story of the Israelite’s
            The later Roman period witnessed a  secular drama persisted for centuries.  escape from Egypt, is a fine example of
          decline of dramatic theatre and an  The Council of Rome in 679 required  a biblical tale performed as theatre.
          absence of significant dramatists. Even  that English clerics ban jesters and  According to the eighth-century
          so, subsequent to the fall of Rome,  players from their premises. In 789  English historian, the Venerable Bede,
          manuscripts and illustrations provide  beating or banishment was prescribed  the author of the performance version
          evidence that works of Terence, and  for performers who wore clerical  of Exodus was Cademon of Whitby.
          probably others, were read aloud while  clothing.                    Bede recorded that Cademon
          actors mimed the stories. The Roman                                  improvised and performed divine songs
          influence didn’t just disappear upon the                             in the abbey.
          departure of the legions. Britons for
                                                                                  A form of choral chant, known as
          example, although now left to their own
                                                                               the dithyramb, was integral to the early
          devices, were considered highly
                                                                               drama of Greece (see CinemaRecord
          romanised.
                                                                               50). Now sung portions known as
            King Edwin of Northumberland                                       tropes became essential to the
          (reign 616 to 632) built for himself a                               development of Christian theatre.
          theatre of the Roman style at Yeavering.                             ‘Quem quaeritis’ (whom seek ye) was
          Performers such as acrobats, dancers,                                sung by a priest in a white robe, who
          mimics, animal-trainers, jugglers,                                   represented an angel at the empty tomb,
          wrestlers, ballad singers and story-                                 to three choirboys who represents the
          tellers made their way throughout                                    three Marys who came to the tomb on
          Europe carrying with them the                                        the first Easter morning. The dialogue
          remnants of classical entertainment.                                 between them was:
            At first, Christian doctrine strictly                                 Priest: Whom seek ye in the
          forbade attendance at or appearance in                               sepulchre, O children of Christ?
          theatrical performances.
                                                                                  Choirboys: Jesus of Nazareth the
                                            The Three Marys at the Tomb (c. 960).  crucified, O child of Heaven.



          8   2008 CINEMARECORD
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