An annual holiday tradition returns with
A Medieval Christmas: With Song We Seek Our Saviour
A Celebration of the Nativity with Pageants and Song
Once again the University of Toronto’s renowned early drama players, Poculi Ludique Societas (PLS) are teaming up with St. Thomas’s Anglican Church to offer up a unique song-filled celebration for the holiday season. This year’s production features a sequence of Nativity pageants drawn from what is known as the York Corpus Christi Cycle, and will include the delightful pageant called “Joseph’s Trouble about Mary.”
In this amusing play, a rather woe begotten and incredulous Joseph must be convinced that his chaste wife is indeed the Virgin Mother of God. Understandably, poor Joseph is confused, hurt, and more than a little skeptical. But with a small measure of divine intervention, Joseph eventually comes around and takes Mary to Bethlehem where destiny will play itself out.
The production is directed by Kimberley Radmacher who notes, ”Although we select Nativity pageants from various medieval texts, we try to keep things fresh by conceptualizing the productions in new and interesting ways each year.” This is achieved through production design, which is overseen by PLS Artistic Director Linda Phillips and through music selection. Toronto Masque Theatre Artistic Director, Larry Beckwith, joins the team for the first time and has worked with Radmacher to create a song-scape that includes solemn medieval Christmas hymns, as well as cherished well-known carols and even a hint of contemporary music that will appeal to everyone.
PLS is celebrating 50 years of medieval and renaissance drama performance research and is part of the Centre for Performance Studies in Early Theatre (CPSET). Their robust productions have had lasting appeal with general audiences and are of particular interest to scholars and students of drama, theatre and social history.
Location
Dates
- Friday December 12, 7:30pm
- Saturday December 13, 2:30pm and 7:30
Tickets
- $20/$15 Senior/$10 Student
- To reserve tickets call 416-978-5096. Reservations are not required. Please bring cash in hand.
- The performance is 90 minutes long.
