THE spectacular 2012 production of the York Mystery Plays will be launched to community leaders tonight. Mike Laycock looks at the history of the world-famous plays – and their return next year to their traditional home in the Museum Gardens.

THEY were last performed in the atmospheric ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in 1988 and many feared they would never return. But now plans are being stepped up for the world-famous York Mystery Plays to be staged once again in the ruins, situated in the heart of the Museum Gardens, in August next year.

A community launch will be staged tonight at the York Theatre Royal, aimed at introducing the team behind the project to community leaders such as councillors, head teachers, businessmen and women, amateur dramatic societies and the guilds.

It will explain the thinking behind the project and seek to encourage members of the public from all sectors of society to get involved in some way.

A partnership of York Theatre Royal, York Museums Trust and Riding Lights Theatre Company, supported by City of York Council, is planning productions through August 2012 to nightly audiences of 1,500 people, with 30,000 tickets to go on sale.

Joint directors for the production Paul Burbridge, of the Riding Lights Theatre, and Damian Cruden, of the Theatre Royal, have said they want to create a “bold, exhilarating piece of story-telling theatre on an operatic scale, to reinvigorate the tradition and the language and make these plays accessible to a modern audience.”

They also want the plays to appeal to both those of religious faith and those with none.

Liz Wilson, chief executive of York Theatre Royal, has promised an “incredible spectacle”, while Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, has described the abbey ruins as the plays’ perfect setting with a fantastic atmosphere, making this one of the highlights of 2012.

The plays date back to the 14th century when, from sunrise to sunset on Corpus Christi day, they travelled through the streets of York on wagons, stopping to perform at various “stations”.

The Mystery Cycle has been part of the city’s community history since those days, but the plays were performed for the first time in the abbey ruins as part of the Festival Of Britain in 1951.

Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench was involved in the first three productions in the 1950s, performing as the Virgin Mary in 1957 before going on to a glittering career in theatre, film and TV.

The weather was probably the biggest problem over the years. Audiences could look forward to a glorious summer’s evening, with the sun setting behind the abbey, or they could be drenched by a summer downpour – a covering for the audience should prevent such problems this time round, although the actors can still look forward to the odd soaking.

A succession of big-name professional actors were brought in to play Christ over the years, including All Creatures Great And Small star Christopher Timothy, Young Winston actor Simon Ward and Victor Banerjee, from A Passage To India.

After the 1988 production, the plays began to hit stormy waters as the costs for infrastructure, such as seating, rose.

The plays moved to York Theatre Royal and then in 2000, the Millennium Mystery Plays were performed in the Minster to audiences of more than 28,000 people.

The plays have since been regularly performed by the guilds on the back of wagons at stations across the city.

Tonight’s community launch, which aims to offer an insight into plans for 2012, information on how to get involved and a chance to meet the team behind the scenes, is set to go on the road to several venues around the city over coming months to get as many people involved as possible.

Support for campaign

THE then Evening Press launched a Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign in 2003 after it emerged there would be no major production of the Plays in 2004, to follow up the Millennium Plays staged at the Minster in 2000.

Readers told the newspaper of their dismay that the city might abandon the Mysterys tradition, which attracted visitors from all over the world and involved hundreds of local actors, young and old.

The campaign won the support of God and Jesus Christ – aka Rory Mulvihill, who played the Saviour in 1996, and John Hall, who played God in 2000.

It was also backed by Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench, who was involved in three productions in the Museum Gardens in the 1950s. She said she felt passionately that they should continue in the tradition of being staged every four years. The Press is now the official media partner for the 2012 production.

Want to get involved?

SO how can you get involved in the 2012 Mystery Plays?

Organisers are hoping more than 1,000 people from across the York and wider community will get involved in some way – not just by performing on stage but also by helping to make costumes, build props, market the show, provide lighting and sound, and assist in many more roles.

People interested in getting involved can email mystery2012@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk go online to yorkmysteryplays-2012.com, or phone the box office on 01904 623568.