The Church began to get the Guilds involved in their performances Slowly the clergy was replaced by guild members (Church still had final say) Hired actors Keeper of the Registrar Held the master copy of the script (Registrar) Censored the script Master of Secrets In charge of the machines and special effects During the Protestant Reformation, the Church forbid religious performances Guilds kept “vernacular” plays going, stopped “liturgical” performances

In addition to “Mystery” and “Miracle” plays there were: Morality plays Developed during the Late Middle Ages to teach the morals found in the Bible without the use of biblical stories. “Everyman” Farces Morality plays were really long. They were split with “interludes”, typically farces “Le Farce de Maitre Pierre Patelin”

Notable Plays Noah and His Sons by “Anonymous” (???) Story of Noah and the Ark. His wife is constantly being told to come on the Ark, but she keeps delaying and drinking. She is the comic relief of the play. Eventually, she is carried on by her sons. Le Farce de Maitre Pierre Patelin by “Anonymous” (1465) Pierre is a poor lawyer who “buys” cloth. However, he gets it for free by pretending to be sick and crazy. Pierre goes to a court case for a sheep stealer he represents (he told him to say Baaa to everything). He sees that the merchant is the prosecutor. At the end Pierre goes for payment from the sheep stealer and gets only a “Baaa” as he too is duped.

Ecclesiastical/Angels Borrowed or rented from the Church Devils Handmade to be as grotesque and hideous as possible Humans/Mortals Clothing common to the times Supplied by the actors or borrowed