I HAVE two abiding memories of the York Millennium Mystery Plays. The first is of steaming the creases out of racks of cloaks in a stiflingly hot marquee in the Dean's Gardens, which was like working in a sauna. The second is of applauding with tears in my eyes and a hard-to-swallow lump in my throat at the conclusion of what was one of the most moving, thrilling and theatrical events I've ever been to.

I had been recruited to help out with the 2000 production by a friend of mine, Pauline, who was responsible for leading and training the team of volunteer costume makers. Since I had never mastered the threading of a sewing machine, let alone made an item of clothing, this was taking a risk, but I was soon chalking out patterns and even running up the odd wonky seam without mishap.

I can't say it inspired me to take up dress-making, but I did enjoy myself and I met a great bunch of people. And on the night, sitting in the Minster, I was glad I'd contributed in my own small way.

Under RSC director Gregory Doran it was a landmark production of the mystery plays; a community event gone global, and visitors flocked to see it.

And since then? Nothing. A full-scale static production of the Mystery Plays has been mounted every four years in York since 1951 but 2004 came and went without a repeat performance. This newspaper campaigned to bring them back and now, belatedly, it's been announced that the council will support another production.

The downside is, it will not be put on until 2010 because of the costs involved.

That's effectively once a generation. You have to ask: for all that it was brilliant, did we ultimately shoot ourselves in the foot with the Millennium Mystery Plays? A lavish, professionally directed and designed show is what's expected now, whereas many local people would be happy with a humbler production in the Museum Gardens, where the plays used to be held, and a return to the four-year cycle.

At least the wagon plays put on by the guilds are set to continue in between; it doesn't come more traditional - or accessible - than booing the devil in the street. But modernists would say that, having raised the bar, the 2010 plays are a chance for York to establish an international standard of excellence, as well as underlining the reputation it is seeking to build itself as the City of Festivals.

Inevitably, it boils down to money: the council is to pump £100,000 into the mystery plays over the next five years with the hope of a substantial return on its investment. A proposal estimates the 2010 mystery plays will contribute over a million pounds to the local economy, "as well as being spiritually uplifting".

Well, it's always nice to get a little spiritual uplift. I'd rather not wait another five years though. I'm pinning my hopes on our new archbishop, Dr John Sentamu, who is due to be inaugurated at the end of this month. He sounds an

inspirational chap and his M&S picnic in the Minster could be a new addition to the York cycle of plays. How about St Michael's Feeding of the Masses?

Talking of the Minster, which has just announced that it may have to cut back on core services to meet rising costs (increased admission fees have not been ruled out - thank goodness spiritual uplift is free with a Minster card). I was there last Saturday, along with several hundred other spectators, to view the much-talked-about light installation by French artist Patrice Warrener.

We almost didn't bother, having previously been stuck in the crowds at Clifford's Tower that decamped to the banks of the Ouse to catch the fireworks. I'm not at all surprised that a man fell in the river - it was muddy and dark and difficult to see where the quayside ended and the water began and people were crowding on to the pontoons to get a better view. It's lucky there wasn't a tragedy.

I was astonished there were no safety officers there, although there were plenty at Clifford's Tower, apparently acting as decoys. I'm even more astonished that the council claimed to be surprised by the massive turnout.

If you tell people there's going to be a show-stopping secret firework display, you can hardly expect them to stay at home.

Now City of York Council wants to hear our views about what to do next year. Frankly, I'd say don't bother; put the money into community events that people can actually see and take part in. The spirit is there - the atmosphere outside the Minster was amazing. Seeing our cathedral as if all the details of the tracery had been painted overnight was a revelation.

It was lovely to see the Heart

of Yorkshire glowing and just as great to see the glow in people's faces.

Let's have more of that.

Updated: 16:42 Friday, November 11, 2005