York Mystery Plays

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Item details


Postcards : Black and white postcards 1951 and 1954

Item type: Postcards
Archive reference: YMP/L/2/3
Date/year: 1951 and 1954
Description: All the photgraphs of the early plays which the NCEM has are black and white.  The NCEM has two black and white postcards showing the Mystery Plays in the Museum Gardens, from the 1951 or 1954 production. Overleaf reads: Postcard. York Mystery Plays. With Greetings. A postcard -sized photo from David Antill collection shows a scene from the Mystery Plays in the Museum Gardens, at night.  Very  large numbers of cast on stage, crucifix erected.  Probably 1954.  Stored as YMP/L/2/.
There are six postcards recorded under YMP/L/3 which are 1954:  'York Mystery Plays - With greetings' Photograph by Will Acton.  Acton was the official photographer in 1954.  
- Joseph O'Conor as Jesus; John van Eyssen as Lucifer; Lucifer and Jesus - van Eyssen and O'Conor - together; Lazarus risen from the dead.  Lazarus was Norman Tyrrell in 1954. 
Two were donated by Prof Margaret Rogerson in July 2014 - one a daylight Last Judgement scene with empty chairs (dress rehearsal?) and one used as a postcard, stamped 1954.  (Sent from Nell to Mrs Page, Linton Lodge, St Peter's Grove.)
Here is a photograph by Will Acton of Satan throwing his arms up jubilantly (John Van Eyssen), behind the tree on the right, because Adam (Kenneth Parsons) has bitten the apple.  Eve (Jane Southern) looks pleased and provocative.
1954 Adam bites apple
 


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