York Millennium Mystery Plays

York Minster

THERE has never been anything like it before and quite probably there will never be anything like it again - a piece of popular historical theatre staged in, to quote the Dean of York, "the finest gothic cathedral this side of the Alps".

This is the first time that the York Cycle of Mystery Plays has been presented inside the Minster and, under the guidance of Royal Shakespeare Company director Gregory Doran, the result is little short of a triumph.

There are problems caused by the building's acoustics, meaning not all the words come over as crystal clear as you'd like, but this is as spectacular and thoughtful a theatrical event as you're likely to see in many a year.

Despite three years of planning with military precision, the production doesn't quite come in at the promised three hours (more like three-and-a-half) but that's hardly surprising when you're recounting the Christian view of the history of the world.

After all, there's an awful lot to cram in from the Creation to the Day of Judgement.

Doran skilfully dovetails one episode into another, barely allowing his 200-strong cast to pause for breath between episodes. And they need an awful lot of puff to cope with all the running up and down the series of steps and platforms that make up Robert Jones' truly magnificent set, a creation which Doran exploits fully in both the crowd scenes and more intimate moments.

One minute we're in the Garden of Eden, the next the entire arena has been turned into a stormy sea with Noah's Ark floating in the middle. The crucifixion, with Jesus on the cross, high in the nave of the Minster provides an unforgettable image.

Some of the simplest effects get the most reaction, such as turning a white sheet into the table for the last supper.

Vivid red strips of cloth are suddenly untwirled to denote the massacre of the first born. Cloaks turn black at the moment of Christ's death on the cross.

Richard Shephard's music hits the right notes on the inspirational moments as does Michael Gunning's lighting, culminating in a stunning final rainbow image. Given such a large cast of amateur actors of differing experience, a certain unevenness in the standard is only to be expected but Doran's superb staging ensures they're seen at their best although they're not always audible.

This is not an accusation that can be levelled at Newcastle-born Ray Stevenson, the only professional actor in the cast. He makes a relatively late entrance into the proceedings - it's well into the first half before he appears - but has the build, presence and voice to stand out from the crowd and suffer nobly once the priests decide he must be eliminated.

Man in white John M Hall makes a commanding God and Rory Mulvihill is a red-clad, mischievous Lucifer.

Richard Vergette's Pilate conveys the confusion of a ruler bowing to the will of the crowd that is baying for Jesus's death.

Arnold Durham and Ruth Ford as Mr and Mrs Noah provide some light relief in a production that, by nature of the subject, has little in the way of knockabout comedy.

In their own way everyone makes a valuable contribution whether they have lines or not, from God down to the milling extras in the excellently-executed crowd scenes.

For that credit must go to Doran and his team for what is a miraculous production.

Steve Pratt

l All performances of The Mystery Plays, which continue until July 22, are sold out.