Richard Bratby

Why the Chester Mystery Plays are more popular than ever

There’s an honesty – a robustness – to these 13th century dramas that can feel startlingly relatable

Duncan Crompton as Jesus in the Chester Mystery Plays at Chester Cathedral. Credit: Pamela Raith Photography 
issue 01 July 2023

Hang around for long enough at Chester Cross, and theatre is pretty much guaranteed. It’s a Saturday morning in May: a human statue holds his pose, a remote-control buggy zips about advertising the spring sale at MenKind and three connoisseurs of discount cider are making their views known from the bench outside St Peter’s Church.

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