International Mummers Symposium 2021

A talk on the current performance by Brummagen Mummers: How we started 19 years ago – one of the first female groups. Some issues are different for women, e.g. men dressing as women funnier than women dressing as men! Initially the play was for our own entertainment - my priority was to involve all members, so I added random characters where necessary. Some members requested non-speaking parts. Some traditionally male parts were played as female (e.g. the devil) and some were kept as male.

Wrote parts for members with particular skills - e.g. A Mysterious Warrior for a martial arts expert.

A suitable villain – gave a great deal of thought to this! Many traditional villains were inappropriate and we were anxious not to offend. Eventually I invented Lord Litter – a grimy knight who lurks in the gutter and ends up in the bin! (Assumed everyone dislikes litter!)

We currently perform a version of the Robin Hood play.

The “Entierro de la Sardina” (Burial of the Sardine) is a tradition of Spanish origin, born in Madrid, which marks the end of the Carnival period. It consists in a parade that mocks a funeral procession and that culminates with the burning of the effigy of a sardine that is claimed to have died. Contrary to other similar rites, this one takes place already on Ash Wednesday, an invasion of the Lenten period for which the festival has been criticised. In this contribution, I will present and analyse this celebration in contemporary Madrid, its near disappearance after de Civil War, its rebirth in 1950, and the modifications that the progressive urbanization of the city has entailed for the rite.

For six years in the1980s Bim Mason led the Mummer&Dada company, performing at street-theatre festivals across Europe. He will outline the key features of the Mummers play that inspired the work – direct address, stylistic collage, juxtaposition of characters and the ‘sympathetic magic’ inherent in the death and resurrection scenario. He will offer video examples of how circus skills, martial arts and illusion magic were introduced to enhance the dramaturgy and explain how Dada was a valuable counterpoint.

Pagan Rave is an ongoing, performance-based project which aims to reimagine folk traditions and calendar customs of Ireland. Using as a starting point the costumed figures of Irish and European folk theatre and seasonal festivals, it seeks to operate at the margins of place and mind, and embody the transformative and liberating aspects of masks and music in a ceremonial context. Traditional mumming practices from Ireland, Britain, and South East Europe form important tropes and points of inspiration in the development of Pagan Rave, and the nature of their influence and interplay will be discussed.

Founder members Dara and Anne will talk about the relationship between their theatre company and the performance traditions, embedded in the Armagh countryside. Since we were founded in 1970’s, we have delighted audiences in schools, festivals throughout Ireland and around the world. Through music, storytelling and drama, we provide an experience that is both entertaining and educational. Our colourful costumes evoke a sense of tradition and history and encapsulate the spirit of the Wren boys and the ancient house visiting traditions of Ireland, where the kitchen floor became the stage. The Rhyming tradition is a celebration of the ‘theatre of the people’ and has inspired many poets such as Seamus Heaney, Brendan Kennelly, John Montague and John Hewitt

The Armagh Rhymers have been committed to promoting peace, tolerance and reconciliation for over 40 years. One of the main concepts underpinning all of our work is the importance of understanding and acceptance of different cultures, ideas and languages. We see this as key to maintaining a peaceful and prosperous society. We continue to work with people of all backgrounds, cultures and nationalities to promote this ideal.

Mumming in Newfoundland has a several centuries long history. The mumming component of the province’s culture was revitalized in the 1970s, and the renewed interest was accelerated by the 1968 publication of Halpert and Story’s book, Christmas Mumming in Newfoundland. Although many academic papers on mumming appeared, it was the Arts community that made mumming truly accessible to the general public. More specifically it was the performing arts which breathed life into mumming by producing an animated physical presence in the lives and homes of Newfoundlanders. Mumming in Newfoundland is expressed in three forms, the Mummers Play, janneying, and the processional. This paper will address the re-emergence of mumming through the lens of three developments: the Mummers Theatre Troupe researched and re-created the Mummers Play in 1972; Simani, a musical duo, wrote and performed ‘Any Mummers Allowed In?’ (also known as The Mummers Song) in1983, which gave new life to janneying; and the Mummers Festival in 2009 reconceptualized the older practice of the processional with the Mummers Parade.