How were plays staged during the middle ages?

Answer 1

First AnswerThe theater was put on by the Catholic church and told bible stories. Second AnswerMedieval theater is a complicated subject, and because there are few records about theater in the Early Middle Ages, it is not entirely well known. Nevertheless, there are some things we do have records of. We are told that the Empress Theodora, who lived in the first half of the sixth century, was an actor before she became involved with emperor-to-be Justinian, and there are indications that this profession involved some pretty graphic sexuality. Since the statements came from one of her supporters, we do not have reason to disbelieve them.

We have some indications that mummers entertained people in the Early Middle Ages with mimes and processions. The subjects for these were largely derived from pagan practice and mixed with Christian ideas.

We have better records from later in the Middle Ages. Performances were put on in Churches, with mystery plays, morality plays, and miracle plays. These were based on biblical subjects or themes.

Secular plays started to be produced at about the time of the crusades. We have manuscripts of a secular comedy called Babio, from England of the twelfth century.

A new genre called manners plays arose in the last couple centuries of the Middle Ages, dealing with subjects ranging from romance and drama to comedy.

Plays were often set to music, and Adam de la Halle's Jeu de Robin et Marion, which dates from about the year 1200, is possibly the most famous of these. It is the story of an encounter between a knight and a shepherdess, Marion, in which she resists the knight's advances, and the subsequent relationship she had with her lover, Robin. The play is has a number of songs in it, which are representative of popular music of the time.

As to the places where theatrical events happened, I have never seen any record of theater buildings in medieval Europe. I have not read much about the Byzantine Empire in this respect, and would not be surprised to read of theater buildings there, but in the West, productions usually happened outdoors. One common way to put on a production was to have it in a place where a hillside was conveniently well shaped for an audience to sit and watch. But more commonly, the stage was a platform on the top of a large wagon. In some places, plays with acceptable subjects related to morality or Bible stories could be put on inside a Church. Courtyards were also used, or town squares.

There is a link to an article in Wikipedia on Medieval Theater below.

Answer 2

People usually went off stage by a trap door and if they were going to go on then they would be waiting behind the curtains

Answer 3

Passion plays that were bible stories put on by the church.

Answer 4

in the great hall