Mystery Plays 2012 in Photos
Some of our photographs from August 2012 production in the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, Museum Gardens, seen by some 32,000 people:
The cast at the dress rehearsal. At the back are the angels in heaven. In the foreground are God, left (Ferdinand Kingsley) and Satan, right (Graeme Hawley.)
God (Ferdinand Kingsley) is beginning to design and create the world.
Having designed angels, he meets Lucifer (Graeme Hawley).
Lucifer is bearing light, surrounded by his own angels. After the Fall, he becomes Satan.
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God watches as His created world appears, brought by 'garden angels'
Young Adam and Eve have been deceived by Satan (formerly Lucifer) into biting the apple
Adult Adam and Eve are expelled by the angels from the garden of Eden
Here is the Ark in preparation. Noah and his family wear sou'westers against the rain
The Ark bearing Noah's family and animals is surrounded by floodwater
Joseph questions Mary about who is the father of her unborn baby
The Magi have come to worship the newborn Christ
Young Christ is in the temple, speaking to an amazed crowd
Jesus heals a blind man, to the watchers' amazement
Jesus and the Apostles are taking the Last Supper
.jpg "Jesus is betrayed by Judas")
Christ knows Judas will betray him
Pilate examines Christ. His wife Dame Procula pleads for Jesus.
In agony, Jesus is on the cross and being lifted into place
Satan is in Hell among souls who need redeeming
God is judging the good and bad souls found in Hell. On the left are Apostles.
The full cast at the finale
Here is a trailer on YouTube by organisers of the 2012 production.
As part of the celebration of York's famous 1212 charter from King John, the City Archivist in 2012 organised an exhibition of York's City Archive material, at the central library. The Mystery Plays featured in this display, using images from the City Archives, the National Centre for Early Music and the National Railway Museum. In the Yorkshire Museum's medieval gallery an exhibition included the manuscript of the Scriveners' Guild's Play and the medieval Pageant Accounts of the Mercers' Wagon Play, from the archive of the York Merchant Adventurers.