Songs in Dorset Mummers' Plays - Synopsis

From the somewhat fragmentary evidence available on Dorset mummers' plays it seems that it was customary to finish the performance with a song. In some cases the titles or first lines have been recalled, in others there are sound recordings of the plays which have enabled the songs to be identified. This paper surveys the songs used by Dorset mummers, attempts to establish a rationale for the choice of material, and considers why one song ("Husbandman and Servingman") was by far the most popular choice. In conclusion it considers the value of mummers' plays as indicators of local song repertoire.