Mystery Plays

Gloucester Cathedral’s brand new cycle of Mystery Plays consists of 13 plays in the first cycle split between five directors. The 60 actors and crew are drawn from all over Gloucestershire.

Set designers have created a model of the stage with access to Heaven and the pit of Hell. Meanwhile, the special effects team is working out how to recreate the Big Bang.

The choirs will sing music which has been specially written for the plays by composer Robert Perry.

Mystery Plays were performed from the 10th to the 16th centuries all over England, telling stories from the Bible to the people in their own language. There is no local set of Medieval Mystery plays for Gloucester that survive so local writer, Rachel Murray, was given the task of producing a brand new set of plays especially for Gloucester.

The second cycle of plays covering the Life of Christ to the Last Judgement will take place in March and April 2013.