York Mystery Plays

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Delma Tomlin Personal Folder : Dancing in the Mystery Plays

Item type: Delma Tomlin Personal Folder
Archive reference: YMP/O/5/1
Date/year: various
Description: Dancing is a part of many productions of the Mystery Plays, although the sombreness of the theme limits the possibilities.  Here in a 1987 production 'The Mysteries' is a folk dance, from images scanned after a donor lent them to the NCEM.  We welcome more such opportunities to borrow and scan images.1987 Folk dance













In 2012 the rainbow colours of the Angels formed a brilliant picture when they danced.  2012 dance of angels
The Wagon productions allow processional dancing as the wagons are pulled through the streets of York.  In 2014 the wagon plays had a notable amount of music performed by Waits. 
Tumblers 2014 Museum GardensTumblers also danced: they had come with the Taborers Society.  Below in St Sampson Square the York Mystery Play Supporters Trust perform Christ's Entry into Jerusalem, directed by Simon Tompsett, with Musical Director Jonathan Brockbank.
Entry into Jerusalem 2014  Here the same group dance at College Green, with palms to welcome Jesus. Dancing with palms 2014
Angels dance 2014 Last Judgement        You can see dancing and much else on Youtube, where there is a 23 minute film, with music, made by Paint the Mouse of the 2022 Last Judgement production, directed by Alan Heaven.  There is also a link to it  at the foot of this page about the 2022 wagon plays.
The students of Pocklington School dance in St Sampsons Square at the Last Judgement, directed by Emma Cunningham, with Musical Director Allison Bond.                                                                                                                             

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