Talk:Mummers Play

From Academic Kids

This entry has so many errors of fact, it's difficult to know where to start.

Perhaps I should start with my credentials. I have been researching folk drama for over 30 years in association with the University of Sheffield, England, where I gained my PhD on "The Origins and Development of English Folk Plays" in 2002. I have written many papers on the subject and I am webmaster of www.folkplay.info - arguably the best website on English folk drama. I know my stuff on matters of fact, and am up to speed on the latest theories.

OK. Here goes:

1. Mummers' plays have nothing to do with Christian Mystery plays. While there are some superficial similarities of style (e.g. verse speeches), mystery plays were Medieval, whereas there is no evidence for Mummers's plays before the 18th century.

2. It is true that nowadays, many morris dancing groups also perform mumming plays. However, this is a 20th century development arising out of the English Folk Revival. In the past, morris dancers and mummers were independent.

3. It is very much a matter of opinion whether or not Mummers' plays are "highly symbolic enactments of religious significance". Most traditional performers would have been surprised by this. As far as they are concerned, they were just entertaining and collecting money. The mystery plays are something else of course.

4. While St.George is a common character in mummers' plays, the Dragon is rare. The Turkish Knight is one of St.George's main adversaries, the other common opponent being Slasher. I have no idea where the "Persian Knight" came from. It's a character I have never encountered. Ditto Old Father Abraham. Old Father Christmas yes. He is particularly frequent in southern English plays, where he is the play's introducer. There are a few Robin Hood plays in the Cotswolds, but he is not common.

5. A few mummers' plays do indeed have a "hobby horse", but these horses have no relation to the spectacular Padstow and Minehead 'Obby 'Osses (who appear on May Day). It is unlikely that there is any link with Pantomime horses either.

6. The defining feature of mumming plays is the quack Doctor, and the main purpose of the fight is to provide him with a patient to cure. The protagonists vary widely, and it is often unclear who is the hero and who the villain. In some plays there is not even a fight, just an assault. Once again therefore, whether or not "the plays contain the archetypes: duality and resurrection" is a matter of opinion. It's a valid enough interpretation, but not the only one.

7. "The performers are masked." Occasionally yes, although usually not with the sort of face masks you can buy in a shop. Rather we are talking about hats or headgear that obscure the face. More often, mummers' faces are blackened or painted red by way of disguise. Many mummers and guisers, however, have no facial disguise at all.

8. No firm conclusions have been come to regarding the etymology of the word "mummer". The alternatives given in the article are the main contenders. Some people have said that it derives from the Danish or Dutch "Mumme" or similar, which also means "Mask". There are also possible relationships with the words "murmer" and "mutter".

9. We are now pretty sure that Mummers' plays do NOT have a Pagan or pre-Christian origin, nor any origin in the Crusades. The reason is that no evidence has been found for the plays before the 18th century, despite assiduous research. This contrasts with other English customs such as morris dancing, maypoles, Plough Monday, etc., where much unequivocal evidence has been found back to the Reformation and in some cases beyond.

10. The paragraph on Mystery Plays implies that they developed from the mummers' plays. As has already been explained, this is chronologically impossible.

To conclude, the item on Mummers' plays needs totally rewriting to present an accurate description of the plays, and to remove the disproven theories re pagan origins. The material on Mystery Plays need to be moved elsewhere, and the references to the Padstow and Minehead 'Obby 'Osses also need removing. The links are appropriate (apart from the one to Padstow). More folk play links (about 1000) can be found at www.folkplay.info.

I hope that the encyclopaedia article is updated soon.

Regards

Peter Millington Webmaster, www.folkplay.info, Traditional Drama Research Group and Honorary Research Associate, NATCECT, University of Sheffield, England

Email: p.millington1@sheffield.ac.uk