LEARN more about the mystery behind a city drama.
Two new courses at Liverpool University offer the opportunity to learn about the historic Chester Mystery Plays.
Run by the university’s continuing education programme and timed to coincide with the 2008 production on Chester Cathedral Green from June 28 to July 19, the courses will outline Chester’s key role in the history of English drama.
The Chester Mystery Plays were performed on the streets of Chester for more than 200 years from the late medieval to early Tudor periods. Originally performed by local trade guilds, they tell the story from the Creation until Doomsday, but they also have a unique local character.
A one-day course deals with mystery plays from other parts of the country as well as Chester, while the five-week course deals with the Chester Mystery Plays in detail.
Course tutor Andrea Young said: “These courses have been specifically designed to complement the 2008 production of the Chester Mystery Plays.
“They are ideal if you are going to see the plays at Chester Cathedral Green because they will allow people to watch the plays with an extra insight into how they were originally performed and the strong tradition that lies behind them.
“The plays are at the heart of the city’s history and the fact that the Chester Mystery Cycle is one of only four that survive in this country shows the high regard in which the people of the city held the plays.”
The one-day Medieval Mystery Plays (course code: 13522 engl 942) takes place on Saturday, April 12, closing date April 3. The five-week Chester Mystery Cycle (course code: 13511 engl 924) starts on Thursday, May 15 from 7 - 9pm, closing date May 6. To book a place on either of these courses, call the University of Liverpool Continuing Education office on 0151 794 2548/ 6900 e-mail: conted@l iverpool.ac.uk. The CE website is at: www.liv.ac.uk/conted/
To book tickets for the 2008 Chester Mystery Plays visit www.chestermysteryplays.com or phone the box office on 01244 304618.
