Abingdon Mummers performed the local version of the traditional Mummers Play this evening.
The actors came clothed in costumes covered with strips of newspaper.
Father Christmas entered first into the pub to announce the other players. Next through the pub door came a proud King George who is challenged and then slain by Bold Slasher.
The Doctor is then called and through some magic and an injection up the backside manages to resuscitate King George.
Another sword fight ensues and this time Slasher is slain.
Next on the scene is the red cheeked Mrs. Finney who uses an flashing electronic umbrella, up the posterior, to resuscitate Bold Slasher.
Finally, the mummers danced around and wished us a Merry Christmas in traditional style with “We wish you a Merry Christmas”.
Father Christmas then came round with his collection box. Money raised goes to the Breakaway Club – a worthy cause who provide transport for people in Abingdon who otherwise might not get out.
Mummers plays have had a traditional place in Christmas festivities for hundreds of years, indeed their origins may well date back to the dawn of civilization itself. Believed to bring good luck to performers & onlookers alike, they tell in simple ritualistic terms the magical re-enactment of the eternal struggle between the powers of good & evil, or of light & darkness as the shortening days of Autumn submit to winter, in turn followed by the re-awakening of life as Spring returns.
The plays were usually passed on by word of mouth & inevitably they have become altered, only half remembered & sometimes so garbled as to be almost incomprehensible, yet always the simple message can be discerned. As there would appear to be no Abingdon version of the play still remembered, the Abingdon Mummers perform the Sunningwell Play as written down in 1948, and dress accordingly in the traditional disguise of costumes covered with strips of paper.
Father Christmas (First Man) introduces a swaggering King George (Persian King) who is challenged & slain by Bold Slasher (The French Officer). The Magical Doctor is summoned to revive him and in the subsequent fight Bold Slasher is defeated, only to be brought back to life by Mrs. Finney the ever reviving Phoenix, or even Mother Earth. After a verse of mystic doggerel the Mummers circle round singing “We wish you a Merry Christmas” before collecting money for a charitable cause and departing to re-enact the performance elsewhere.
Where did this interesting event actually take place in Abingdon? This is the first I have heard of it. Was it advertised anywhere? I would love to go along if it is to be repeated next year.
Look on Abingdon Mummers Facebook page.
We are perfoming this year.
glenys – if you google abingdon mummers you’ll find our web page, on which we put performance and venue details.
we can tell you that this year we collected £440 in donations from the generous people of abingdon and its surrounding villages .this year it goes to the abingdon breakaway club to help maintain their minibuses. they use them to help folks who don’t get out enough to get out more.
i saw the performance in the Brewery Tap, as photographed by Backstreeter. The photos do not do justice to the quality of the acting, the realism of the fight scenes, the quality of the special effects or the moving music and singing.
Hang on… am i getting it mixed up with the Hobbit?
David – If you were in the Brewery Tap it was probably not the Hobbit!