York Mystery Plays: 'I became part of a historical tradition that has brought city's streets to life with performance for generations'

Performers were stretching, warming up their voices and making last minute costume adjustments, while photographers captured the anticipation before the first performance of this year’s Mystery Plays.

Despite weeks of rehearsal, one thought kept running through my mind - remember what to do. A few hours went by, and I found myself standing just metres away from hundreds of people in the centre of the city.

There was no stage curtain to hide behind, no dimmed theatre lights and certainly no second take if something were to go wrong.

As the opening song began, the nerves and were impossible to ignore. However, by the time it ended, something had changed…Those nerves had turned into excitement.

For those unfamiliar with them, the York Mystery Plays are one of the city’s finest and oldest traditions, dating back to the mid 14th century.

Originally performed by the city’s craft guilds, each play tells a story from the bible, from the Creation to the Last Judgement.

Traditionally, they were performed on decorated wagons that moved about the city to allow different crowds to watch each play.

Performances of them have evolved into a major community event, bringing together volunteers of all ages to perform in locations across the city.

One of this year's productions, The War in Heaven, explored the biblical story of Lucifer’s rebellion and fall from Heaven to the depths of Hell.

Performed every four years, the Mystery Plays solely rely on the dedication of the city’s people through volunteers, performers and production teams working together to make the shows happen.

Like many people taking part, I was not just performing in a play. I was becoming part of a historical tradition that has brought York’s streets to life for generations and shaped its culture and identity since medieval times.

I have always loved acting and the unique feeling that comes from live theatre. Every performance feels like walking on a tightrope – there are no second chances, and that’s certainly what makes it so exciting.

Although I had performed before, nothing prepared me for the scale of the York Mystery Plays. Rehearsals began back in May, bringing together creatives of all ages and backgrounds with one shared goal.

Some performers had years of theatrical experience, while others were simply eager to be part of something special.

What surprised me most wasn’t the sheer size of the production and all the groups and performances it consisted of, but how calm everything felt.

Despite the challenge of preparing such a large community performance in just a few months, every rehearsal, every week, was welcoming and supportive. It never felt intimidating. Instead, it felt like joining a community.

Laura-Elizabeth Rice, director of this year’s production with HIDen Theatre, said bringing The War in Heaven to life was both “a challenge and a delight”.

“There are so many moving parts to put together and communications can get complicated, but I can’t say enough how amazing our cast and company were, and that made it a real joy,” she says.

“Everyone contributed so many ideas and such enthusiasm and really leaned into the historic nature of the event - I couldn’t have asked for more.”

Performing in the streets of York was unlike anything I had experienced before. Throughout the day, our company wagon made its way around the city, each time stopping close to a significant landmark marking York’s fine history.

Some locations were open and spacious such as The Minster Refectory Gardens, found right in front of York Minster and others, like The Shambles, felt enclosed and really made you realise how many eyes were on you during the performance.

Many phones and cameras pointed in our direction during the performances. Everywhere I looked, someone was either taking a photograph or recording a video.

It was a reminder of how, even in today’s digital age, a tradition that dates back centuries continues to capture people's attention.

Of course, not everything went exactly to plan. During the Wednesday performance in the Shambles, a building alarm suddenly began blaring in the background in the middle of our performance.

For a moment it threatened to drown everything out, but like the showers that interrupted us earlier in the week, it simply became another reminder that live theatre is wildly unpredictable.

One of the biggest things I’ll take away from my experience in the Mystery Plays isn’t just the performances themselves, but the people behind them. Our company brought together people from completely different walks of life.

Some were studying theatre, others had decades of experience, while some wanted to be part of something special.

Despite those differences and varying levels of theatrical abilities, everyone shared the same goal and before long it felt less like a cast and more like a community.

I’ll remember the people, the laughter backstage, the nerves before stepping in front of those many eyes and the feeling of becoming part of something much bigger than myself.

For the City of York, a place built on history, the York Mystery Plays are not only about looking back - but they’re also about ensuring that history continues to be lived and never forgotten.