Jane Dawson reports from Chester Mystery Plays rehearsals
THE first Friday evening rehearsal session was held last week with a small drama of its own. Everyone turned up at our usual venue (St Mary’s Centre) to find that it had been double booked and that Chester Music Society had a concert audience of more than 100 people about to arrive. Cheshire West and Chester Council came to the rescue, however, with a space at HQ and The Last Supper went off without a hitch.
Meanwhile, the ladies of Chester Patchworkers and Quilters held their 30th anniversary exhibition at Chester Cathedral. One of the themes they used as inspiration was Chester Mystery Plays and it was brilliant to see a number of different interpretations of the plays – from Noah’s Flood and Ark to the Seven Days of Creation – made by local women.
The Ps and Qs exhibition was impressive and the range of styles and images was breathtaking. Humour, beauty and skill abounded. Jacky Hooton, the chairman of the Ps and Qs, welcomed about 2,000 people to the exhibition over the weekend.
Their magnificent work was set alongside the Chester Mystery Plays quilt, made in 1987 by BJ Elvgren, an American woman who was inspired by her visit to the city and the plays. The quilt has been lovingly restored and re-framed with support from local councillors and fundraisers, and will shortly be repositioned on a brand new easel within the cathedral for all to enjoy.
Chester Mystery Plays chairman Jo Sykes said: “It was a superb exhibition. Our congratulations go to all the Ps and Qs members for their skills and creativity.”
