YORK’S civic anniversary celebrations in 2012 are to be marked by the return of its historic Mystery Plays to their spiritual home – the Museum Gardens.

Famous faces who have appeared in plays staged amid the atmospheric ruins of St Mary’s Abbey include Dame Judi Dench, who was the Virgin Mary in 1957, and Christopher Timothy, who played Christ in 1980.

But the plays have not been performed there since 1988, and a Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign by The Press in 2003 appeared to have failed.

However, it was announced today that they will return to the gardens in August 2012, with more than 1,000 people able to watch each of 28 performances from covered seating. A small number of “high-profile” actors are expected to take part.

The joint artistic directors for the 2012 production, Paul Burbridge, of the Riding Lights Theatre, and Damian Cruden, of York Theatre Royal, want the plays to be the centrepiece of a rolling programme of community festival events throughout the city.

They said in a joint statement: “Our vision is to create a bold, exhilarating piece of story-telling theatre on an operatic scale, to re-invigorate the tradition and the language and make these plays accessible to a modern audience.”

“We want to stage the Mystery Plays in a way that resonates with both past and present and appeals to those of religious faith or none.

“Above all, we want to bring an extraordinary and passionate performance out of our community, resourced with the highest aesthetic and production values. We want to remind everyone that the ownership of this remarkable tradition rests with the people of York.”

Council leader Andrew Waller said the plays would be a huge draw to the city, and help residents and visitors alike to celebrate its heritage. “The year 2012 will mark 800 years since the city gained its Charter and so is a special year,” he said.

“As someone who has been involved with three sets of Mystery Plays on wagons, I hope that many York residents will get involved in the plays in Museum Gardens and help us celebrate in style”.

Liz Wilson, chief executive of York Theatre Royal, said the plays would be an incredible spectacle.

She said: “The plays have a worldwide reputation as well as a huge York following. We hope to start working with the people of York from today on an event of which we will all be proud.”

Janet Barnes, chief executive of York Museums Trust, said the abbey ruins were the plays’ perfect setting and, with more than a thousand people being able to watch each performance under covered seating, there would be a fantastic atmosphere.

She said: “I am sure it will be one of the highlights of 2012.”

Ruth Ford, who played God in the plays in 1996 and 2006, said they were a wonderful opportunity for the people of York to get together and they embodied the spirit of Christianity.

Organisers said a community producer was being appointed to build links with community groups in and around York to ensure as many residents as possible were involved on stage and behind the scenes.

• To register your interest, visit www.yorkmysteryplays2010.co.uk


A campaign which even won support from God!

THE Keep York Mystery Plays Alive campaign was launched by the then Evening Press in 2003, after it emerged there would be no major production of the world-famous Plays in 2004.

The campaign was prompted by readers’ dismay that the city might abandon a tradition which stretched back to 1951, attracted visitors from all over the world and involved hundreds of local actors, young and old.

The campaign won immediate backing from across York and from around the world, and even 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. Strong support also came from Oscar-winning actress Dame Judi Dench, who was involved in the first three productions in the Museum Gardens in the 1950s, performing as the Virgin Mary in 1957 before going on to a glittering career in theatre, film and TV.

“I feel passionate that the Mystery Plays should continue in the tradition of being staged every four years, and I totally support your efforts to achieve this”, she told the newspaper.

But despite such support, the campaign appeared to have failed – until today’s announcement.

• In the 14th century, from sunrise to sunset on Corpus Christi day, usually in June, the Mystery Plays travelled through the streets of York on wagons, stopping to perform at various “stations”. The plays were revived in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain when, for the first time, they were performed in the ruins of St Mary’s Abbey in the Museum Gardens.

The plays continued to be performed every four years in the gardens until 1988, after which they moved to York Theatre Royal. The last full-scale production was the acclaimed Millennium Mystery Plays in 2000 at York Minster, which was performed to more than 28,000 people.