Ditchling's Mummers 2020 page for St Peter & St James Hospice

David Riddle is raising money for St Peter & St James Hospice
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Mummers Play 2020 · 26 December 2020

We provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time, to everyone who needs us; all of our hospice services are free of charge. It costs £6m per year to provide our services but we receive just 13% of this from the Government. We rely on support from our amazing community fundraisers.

Story

Mummers Plays are seasonal folk plays performed by a cast known as mummers or sometimes, guisers. The word mummers may have come from the German verb, ‘mufflen’; to muffle up or to disguise, but this term (Mummers) has been used since medieval times.

Sadly, no scripts or performance notes survive from that era; however, the earliest evidence we do have is from the mid 18th century. And, it is from this time that most Mumming scripts originate.

As you watch, a play will include symbolic elements of combat, death and resurrection. This concept is to celebrate the end of the old year and birth of the New-Year. However, not all plays are the same. Hidden in plain sight are the words which can and do differ according to where the play originates.

Some that Ditchling Mummers perform are from West Wittering, Horsham or Steyning - each with its own slight variation in verse. However, you will see that most of the main characters stay the same. Such as: St. George (sometimes called King George), The Doctor, Father Christmas, Prince of Peace, The Turkish Knight and The Noble Captain.

Donation summary

Total
£1,750.00
Online
£1,750.00
Offline
£0.00

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