A series of 13 programmes which tell the story of the theatre. Written and presented by Ronald Harwood 4: Mysteries
Europe around AD 500 - the Dark Ages. Organised theatrical life had crumbled with the Roman Empire. Europe was Christian but the great mass of people were illiterate. The story of Christ had to be made intelligible to them, so Mystery or Miracle plays evolved.
This programme shows how the theatre once more became part of people s lives, with a special reconstruction of The Harrowing of Hell in Sussex, the 1980 York Mystery Cycle which the people of York still perform every four years, and another form of street drama in Italy, commedia dell'arte. Those taking part include:
Michael Elphick , Paul Copley
Ian Saynor , Christopher Timothy Patrick Garland , Eileen Atkins and the Co-Operative Autori of Venice
Film editor MALCOLM DANIEL
Executive producer RICHARD CAWSTON Producer HARRY HASTINGS
Directed by KEITH CHEETHAM if Subtitles on Ceefax page 270