
Home Page Abingdon Morris The Mayor of Ock Street The Ock Street Horns Recent events Coming events Abingdon Mummers The Morris Ring Abingdon Mummers Mummers plays have had a traditional place in Christmas festivities for hundreds of years, indeed their origins may well date back to the dawn of civilization itself. Believed to bring good luck to performers & onlookers alike, they tell in simple ritualistic terms the magical re-enactment of the eternal struggle between the powers of good & evil, or of light & darkness as the shortening days of Autumn submit to Winter, in turn followed by the re-awakening of life as Spring returns. The plays were usually passed on by word of mouth & inevitably they have become altered, only half remembered & sometimes so garbled as to be almost incomprehensible, yet always the simple message can be discerned. As there would appear to be no Abingdon version of the play still remembered, the Abingdon Mummers perform the Sunningwell Play as written down in 1948, & dress accordingly in the traditional disguise of costumes covered with strips of paper. Father Christmas (First Man) introduces a swaggering King George (Persian King) who is challenged & slain by Bold Slasher (The French Officer). The Magical Doctor is summoned to revive him & in the subsequent fight Bold Slasher is defeated, only to be brought back to life by Mrs. Finney the ever reviving Phoenix, or even Mother Earth. After a verse of mystic doggerel the Mummers circle round singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" before collecting money for a charitable cause & departing to re-enact the performance elsewhere.		Graphic by Molly Picken Performances in 2011 This year's schedule sees us performing around Abingdon on Tuesday 13th December and in outlying pubs on Tuesday 20th December. Timings for performances in Abingdon pubs on Tuesday 13th December are: 7.30 Punch Bowl 7.45 Broad Face 8.15 Crown & Thistle 8.45 Kings Head & Bell 9.15 Old Anchor 9.45 Conservative Club 10.15 Brewery Tap Timings for pubs out of Abingdon on 20th December are: 7.30 The Admiral Benbow, Milton 8.00 The Cherry Tree, Steventon 8.30 The Fox, Steventon 9.00 The North Star, Steventon 9.45 The Wheatsheaf, Drayton 10.15 The Red Lion, Drayton This year's charity is the Abingdon Breakaway Club, which provides activities and transport so that people who "don't get out enough" do get out a bit more! Thank you all in advance for your support!! For more details contact Tony Legge on 01235 520768.

Abingdon Mummers

Mummers plays have had a traditional place in Christmas festivities for hundreds of years, indeed their origins may well date back to the dawn of civilization itself. Believed to bring good luck to performers & onlookers alike, they tell in simple ritualistic terms the magical re-enactment of the eternal struggle between the powers of good & evil, or of light & darkness as the shortening days of Autumn submit to Winter, in turn followed by the re-awakening of life as Spring returns. The plays were usually passed on by word of mouth & inevitably they have become altered, only half remembered & sometimes so garbled as to be almost incomprehensible, yet always the simple message can be discerned. As there would appear to be no Abingdon version of the play still remembered, the Abingdon Mummers perform the Sunningwell Play as written down in 1948, & dress accordingly in the traditional disguise of costumes covered with strips of paper. Father Christmas (First Man) introduces a swaggering King George (Persian King) who is challenged & slain by Bold Slasher (The French Officer). The Magical Doctor is summoned to revive him & in the subsequent fight Bold Slasher is defeated, only to be brought back to life by Mrs. Finney the ever reviving Phoenix, or even Mother Earth. After a verse of mystic doggerel the Mummers circle round singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" before collecting money for a charitable cause & departing to re-enact the performance elsewhere.

Graphic by Molly Picken

Performances in 2011

This year's schedule sees us performing around Abingdon on Tuesday 13th December and in outlying pubs on Tuesday 20th December.
Timings for performances in Abingdon pubs on Tuesday 13th December are:
7.30 Punch Bowl
7.45 Broad Face
8.15 Crown & Thistle
8.45 Kings Head & Bell
9.15 Old Anchor
9.45 Conservative Club
10.15 Brewery Tap
Timings for pubs out of Abingdon on 20th December are:
7.30 The Admiral Benbow, Milton
8.00 The Cherry Tree, Steventon
8.30 The Fox, Steventon
9.00 The North Star, Steventon
9.45 The Wheatsheaf, Drayton
10.15 The Red Lion, Drayton

This year's charity is the Abingdon Breakaway Club, which provides activities and transport so that people who "don't get out enough" do get out a bit more! Thank you all in advance for your support!!

For more details contact Tony Legge on 01235 520768.