Medieval Theatre

The Catholic Church

900

The Catholic Church maintained theatre for entertainment and depiction of Biblical stories. This is called Liturgical Drama and incorporates music and dialogue. The productions grew popularity as they were introduced for Easter services, and they began performing other Biblical stories. This is interesting because the Church saw acting as sinful but ended up using it to depict The Bible in services. However, the Church was a major steppingstone for theatre. Medieval Chronicles, 2025.

Hrosvitha

935

Hrosvitha was a German writer, who is well known for her plays. She also happened to be a canoness. She wrote six plays about religious women who overcame temptations, which became popular. She admired the works of another famous writer, Terence, but did not agree that his work was good for Christians to engage in. She died in c.975. Her work is famous and played a role in the evolution of theatre.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025

Saint & Miracle Plays

1000

With the connection of theatre with the Church, they soon started depicting the lives of Saints and stories of miracles. This is a form of vernacular drama. These stories told of the good that the saints did. These performances were meant to show adoration for the saints and share their stories. Although still religious, these strayed from the purely Biblical plays that were common for the time. The production style is beginning to change, helping to develop theatre into an art.
Preceden, 2025

Pageants

1200

Outdoor plays grew in popularity, as they would perform in the towns. These were often religious rituals and festivals. This is an important time because the first performances were being held outside of the Church. This created an opportunity for theatre to become more widespread. It is also important because those who did not go to Church could still become familiar with theatre. This was a huge change, and created a lot of progress. Aurica, 2025
Preceden, 2025

Vernacular Plays

1200

Vernacular plays became popular as the actors used everyday language. This made theatre more casual and easier for society to accept as they did not have to be scholars to understand the performance. Additionally, being more casual allowed for creativity and added relevance to the audience. This was an important part in the growth of theatre.
Medieval Chronicles, 2025.

Mortality Plays

1298

Mortality plays became common. For example, Romance of the Rose by Guillaume de Lorris was written around 1275. Castle of Perseverance was another famous mortality play written in 1425. These were very popular, and the creation of mortality plays was helpful in creating a theatre world separate from the Church. In addition, we start to see performances with tragedy that an audience can relate to. Pipino, Kiara. #TheatreAppreciation.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, 2025.

Geoffrey Chaucer

1343

Geoffrey Chaucer was a famous English poet. He is specifically known for The Canterbury Tales. Popular stories were important in the regrowth of theatre during this time. Specifically, his works sparked creativity in others and encouraged the art of storytelling. Theatre relies on writers who care about diverse storytelling and creating engaging performances like these. AE Television Networks, 26 May 2021

Feast of Corpus Christi

1350

The Feast of Corpus Christi became a popular summer and spring play. This religious holiday became widespread, and theatre had a huge role in it. This also created a gateway for theatre to spread and become popular everywhere. Even those who were not religious could engage in theatre, and
In addition, it encouraged public performances outside of the Church, and helped establish theatre as a tradition. Oxford University Press, 22 Sept. 2021 Preceden, 2025

The Fall of Constantinople

1453

Due to the fall of Constantinople, scholars traveled to Italy. Along with them came art in different forms, bringing classics to Europe. This was revolutionary as it allowed for theatre to grow. The writings and culture being spread helped progress the growth of theatre. The collaboration of artists allowed for innovation in Medieval Theatre. While it may seem indirect, the Fall of Constantinople played a huge role in producing plays. World History Edu, 5 Mar. 2025 Medieval Chronicles, 2025.

Pantomime in Drama

1562

Performances without spoken dialogue became popular, commonly called 'dumb shows'. The actors were to perform without speaking and only using gestures. Theatre was beginning to become modified, as people were becoming comfortable with expressing themselves in different ways. This enhanced performance and body language on stage, creating a more visually dynamic story telling process. Again, this opened doors for innovation in theatre. Preceden, 2025

William Shakespeare

1564

William Shakespeare was a writer and actor. He is still known today as one of the greatest writers in history. He was born right after the Medieval time period, making it a perfect time to become a writer as theatre regained popularity. Without the growth within the Medieval time period, Shakespeare may not have been as successful in sharing his plays. His use of dramatic themes and public theatre would have been difficult without the Medieval period.
Pipino, Kiara. #TheatreAppreciation.