185: Exploring: N-Town, Plays 35 to 40 (Harrowing to Pentecost)

<div> <strong>Exploring: The N-Town Play</strong>, a slow burn look at a medieval Mystery (sort of) cycle. The N-Town Play comes to us as a single manuscript, but it's a compilation of various different sources - including elements from what looks like a cycle and various other large scale productions focusing on episodes from the Bible.<br> The journey continues with plays thirty five to forty - returning to a selection of individual plays that may have been part of a cycle, though we can't be sure about how the editorial process has changed their shape. These cover the mixed up Harrowing of Hell and Pilate/guards at the sepulchre sequence, the appearances of Jesus to various disciples, doubting Thomas, and Pentecost.<br> The Beyond Shakespeare Irregulars this episode were Eric Karoulla as Adam, Pilate, Angel, Judeus One; Alan Scott as John Baptist, Third Soldier, Peter, Maria Salome; Elizabeth Amisu as Eve, Second Soldier, Maria Jacobi, Cleophas, Jacobus Major; Lynn Freitas as Abraham, Fourth Soldier, John, Judeus Two; Helen Good as First Soldier, Magdalen, Judeus Three, Belial, Lucas; Rachael Nicole as Maria, Annas, Thomas,  Judeus Four; Briony Sparrow as Anima Christi/Jesus, Caiaphas.<br> <br> The host was Robert Crighton.<br> <br> There are various online and purchasable versions of these texts available - here's a good one, but is in the original middle English and might put you off - others should be hunted for to taste.<br> Play texts start here: <a href="https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/sugano-n-town-plays-play-30-death-of-judas-trials-before-pilate-and-herod">https://d.lib.rochester.edu/teams/text/sugano-n-town-plays-play-30-death-of-judas-trials-before-pilate-and-herod</a><br> The Beyond Shakespeare Podcast is supported by its patrons – become a patron and you get to choose the plays we work on next. Go to <a href="https://patreon.com/beyondshakespeare">www.patreon.com/beyondshakespeare</a> - or if you'd like to buy us a coffee at ko-fi <a href="https://ko-fi.com/beyondshakespeare">https://ko-fi.