1st - 16th July 2011
York Theatre Royal

Written by Anthony Minghella and directed by Juliet Forster and Paul Burbridge

Midsummer 1392, York

York’s community has a long standing reputation for staging Mystery Plays and this production is an exciting stepping stone towards producing the 2012 York Mystery Plays in the Museum Gardens.

In the shadow of York Minster labourers from the Painter’s Guild are preparing to perform their Mystery play for the festival of Corpus Christi.

To their surprise King Richard II and Queen Anne arrive in the city to escape the political intrigues of the London Court. Suddenly, from the Mayor to the marketplace, the entire community of York explodes in a fever of affectation, expense and hilarious posturing as rival guilds battle it out to impress the royal party with their wagon plays.

But, as thousands of community Mystery players have proved here over the years, it only takes two planks and a passion to put on the best show of all.

A wonderfully funny and poignant play about the people and history of York, this is Anthony Minghella at his most glorious.

A large-scale production of The York Mystery Plays will be staged in the Museum Gardens in August 2012 by a partnership of York Theatre Royal, Riding Lights Theatre Company and York Museums Trust.

Tickets can be bought online by clicking here or alternatively call 01904 623568 or visit the York Theatre Royal Box Office.