York Mystery Plays on wagons return to city centre

For hours, men and women hauled wagons loaded with scenery and props through the city centre, preceded by musicians playing mediaeval music.

Hauling a wagon at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

They paused at four “stations” where the wagon became a stage so that the accompanying actors, dancers and in two plays, puppets, could perform one of York’s mediaeval mystery plays, some of which date back to the 14th century.

Crowds awaited them in the grounds of York Minster Refectory, Kings Square and St Sampson’s Square for free performances, and Deans Park where a grandstand had been built for a ticket-paying audience.

Angels in the all-female production of The Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

Director of the Shepherds Play, Pip Cook said: “It’s been a very joyous collaborative experience, and I am grateful to everyone for going along with my crazy ideas.

“From sheep puppets to a pop-up angel, everyone just took it in their stride!”

Very untuneful shepherds at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

The entire day was the first of four performances with the next two being on Tuesday and Wednesday in the evening in Shambles and the last one again at the four stations on Sunday July 5.

“It’s great fun, it’s almost unique to York,” said Jane Reed, who was part of the 2012 static production of the Mystery Plays in Museums Gardens.

Visitors and local residents alike were delighted by the 2026 version.

“It’s entertaining”, “it’s interesting”, “it’s nice to be able to drop in and out of the plays” were some of the verdicts among spectators at the refectory.

The journey to Calvary at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

The girlfriend of Jesus (Oscar Langford) in The Journey to Calvary said the weather was excellent and thankful this week’s heatwave had broken.

Members of the audience not in the grandstand varied from staying put at one station, or moving between stations to see the plays out of order.

An Ukrainian emigrant theatre group based in York joined other organisations from the city and Yorkshire in preparing and staging the plays.

Adam and Eve and God, all female, at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

The Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve had an all-female cast – including a female Adam – and one play, The Journey to Calvary, didn’t have a wagon as the performers had to walk around the station.

The modern version of the wagon-borne Mystery Plays has been staged once every four years for many decades.

God on the move at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

In mediaeval times, the entire cycle of about 50 short plays was performed annual with wagons on the move from dawn to dusk.   

The modern version is shorter, with organisers choosing which plays to do every time it is staged.

Musicians at York Mystery Plays 2026 (Image: Newsquest)

This year, the plays are the

• War in Heaven (performed by the Gild of Freemen of York and HIDden Theatre),
• The Creation (The Guild of Building),
• The Creation and Fall of Adam and Eve (The Lords of Misrule and The Company of Merchant Taylors),
• Noah and the Flood (The Parish Church of St Luke the Evangelist),
• The Shepherds (The Guild of Cordwainers),
• The Massacre of the Innocents (DSpace Ukrainian Theatre and the Guild of Scriveners) ,
• The Journey to Calvary (York Mystery Plays Supporters Trust),
• The Crucifixion (York Settlement Community Players and York Butchers Gild)
• The Resurrection, the Quem Quaeritis (Lions and Dragons Theatre Co) and
• Doomsday and the Coronation of Mary (Company of Merchant Adventurers and the Northern Militia with Ravens Morris and Haigha).