Functions of Medieval English Stage Directions: Analysis and Catalogue

403 Pages·2022·17.423 MB·English

by  Philip Butterworth

FUNCTIONS OF MEDIEVAL
ENGLISH STAGE DIRECTIONS
When we speak of theatre, we think we know what a stage direction is: we tend
to think of it as an authorial requirement, devised to be complementary to the
spoken text and directed at those who put on a play as to what, when, where, how
or why a moment, action or its staging should be completed. This is the general
understanding to condition a theatrical convention known as the ‘stage direction’.
As such, we recognise that the stage direction is directed towards actors, directors,
designers, and any others who have a part to play in the practical realisation of the
play. And perhaps we think that this has always been the case. However, the term
‘stage direction’ is not a medieval one, nor does an English medieval equivalent
term exist to codify the functions contained in extraneous manuscript notes,
requirements, directions or records. The medieval English stage direction does not
generally function in this way: it mainly exists as an observed record of earlier
performance. There are examples of other functions, but even they are not directed
at players or those involved in creating performance.
More than 2000 stage directions from 40 or so plays and cycles have been
included in the catalogue of the volume, and over 400 of those have been selected
for analysis throughout the work.
The purpose of this research is to examine the theatrical functions of medieval
English stage directions as records of earlier performance. Examples of such
functions are largely taken from outdoor scriptural plays.
Philip Butterworth is a visiting scholar in Medieval Theatre at the University of
Leeds, UK.
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FUNCTIONS OF
MEDIEVAL ENGLISH
STAGE DIRECTIONS
Analysis and Catalogue
Philip Butterworth
Cover image: Stage direction from Beunans Meriasek. Peniarth MS 105B,
fol. 37r. © The National Library of Wales.
First published 2022
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© 2022 Philip Butterworth
The right of Philip Butterworth to be identified as author of this work
has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright,
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British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Butterworth, Philip, author.
Title: Functions of medieval English stage directions : analysis and catalogue
/ authored by Philip Butterworth.
Description: Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2022. |
Series: Routledge advances in theatre & performance | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2022001721 (print) | LCCN 2022001722 (ebook) |
ISBN 9781032146638 (hardcover) | ISBN 9781032146621 (paperback) |
ISBN 9781003240426 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Theater—England—History—Medieval, 500-1500. |
English drama—To 1500—History and criticism.
Classification: LCC PN2587 .B87 2022 (print) | LCC PN2587 (ebook) |
DDC 792.0942/0902—dc23/eng/20220411
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022001721
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022001722
ISBN: 978-1-032-14663-8 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-032-14662-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-003-24042-6 (ebk)
DOI: 10.4324/9781003240426
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CONTENTS
List of figures ix
Acknowledgements x
Preface xi
Prelude 1
1 Observers, Options and Beneficiaries of Stage Directions 13
2 Didacticism 36
3 The Nature of Pretence 58
4 Biblical and Other Narrative Sources 95
5 Spatial Practices 110
6 Characteristics of Playing 132
7 Playing Alone 153
8 Ornaments and Effects 171
Postlude 194
Catalogue: List of Plays and Their Stage Directions 197
viii Contents
A Note by Michael Spence about Latin Translations 200
Calisto and Melebea 201
The Castle of Perseverance 202
The Chester Mystery Plays 205
The Chester Appendix 224
Christ’s Burial 229
Christ’s Resurrection 230
Conversion of St. Paul 232
Cornish Creacion of the World 234
Cornish Origo Mundi 238
Cornish Passio Domini 245
Cornish Resurrexio Domini 257
Cornish St. Meriasek 261
Cornish St. Kea 274
Coventry Shearmen and Taylors’ Pageant 282
Coventry Weavers’ Pageant 284
Fulgens and Lucrece 285
Impacyente Pouerte 288
Killing of the Children 289
King Johan 291
Magnyfycence 293
Mankind 296
Mary Magdalen 298
N.town Plays 302
Nature 319
Nature of the Four Elements 321
The Newcastle Play 323
Nice Wanton 325
The Norwich Grocers’ Play 327
The Play of the Sacrament [Croxton] 329
Play of the Weather (1) 331
Play of the Weather (2) 332
The Pride of Life 334
Terens in Englysh 335
Thersytes 336
Three Laws 338
The Towneley Plays 340
Wealth and Health 349
Wisdom 350
Wit and Science 352
The York Play 354
Bibliography 357
Index 377
FIGURES
1.1 The castel of perseueraunse (The Castle of Perseverance). Folger
MS.V.a.354 (formerly MS 5031), fol. 191v. 24
1.2 Transcription of Folger MS.V.a.354 fol. 191v. 25
3.1 Plan of the first day’s staging arrangements for Beunans Meriasek. 64
3.2 Transcription of the plan of the first day’s staging arrangements
for Beunans Meriasek. 65
3.3 Plan of the second day’s staging arrangements for Beunans Meriasek. 66
3.4 Transcription of the plan of the second day’s staging
arrangements for Beunans Meriasek. 67
3.5 Plan of the staging arrangements for Origo Mundi of the Cornish
Ordinalia. 68
3.6 Transcription of the staging plan for the Origo Mundi
of the Cornish Ordinalia. 69
3.7 Plan of the staging arrangements for Passio Domini
of the Cornish Ordinalia. 70
3.8 Transcription of the staging plan for the Passio Domini
of the Cornish Ordinalia. 71
3.9 Plan of the staging arrangements for Resurrexio Domini
of the Cornish Ordinalia. 72
3.10 Transcription of the staging plan for the Resurrexio Domini
of the Cornish Ordinalia. 73