England
Buckinghamshire
Stony Stratford Mummers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
Stony Stratford, Grid Ref.: SP7940, Lat.& Long.: 52.0568, -0.8404
Description:
We perform throughout the Christmas season and also in the summer. We work from a range of traditional scripts from the Midland Counties and Cotswolds, plus our own 'Stony' play. We care about tradition but the most important thing is to entertain. Everything comes with plenty of music and lots of songs, accompanied by our Mummers' band.
Established:
1973
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2001 (2), 2002 (2), 2004 (2), 2005 (3), 2006 (5), 2008 (1), 2009 (4), 2010 (3), 2011 (4), 2012 (5), 2013 (5), 2014 (3), 2015 (5), 2016 (2), 2017 (3), 2018 (4), 2019 (6)
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Julian Drury (jadrury@btinternet.com), Phone: 01908 260546 (Home)
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Cambridgeshire
Northstow Mummers (Traditional Music of Cambridgeshire Collective) [Website]
Category:
Other Performing Group
Home Town:
Cambridge, Grid Ref.: TL4658, Lat.& Long.: 52.2053, 0.1425
Description:
Northstow Mummers perform mummers' plays and play Cambridegshire music, as well as keeping up the day at Wassails, Plough Sunday/Monday. May Day, Midsummer, Lammas, Hallowe'en, Tander and Christmas/Yuletide.
Established:
1996
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2009 (4), 2010 (5), 2011 (4)
Media Links:
3 links to Video
Contact:
Nigel Pennick, Lord of Misrule (keepinguptheday@live.co.uk), Phone: 01954 789751
Address: PO Box 530, Cambridge, CB23 8FS
Notes:
Affiliate of English Folk Dance and Song Society
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Derbyshire
Ripley Guisers (Ripley Morris) [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-acting Sub-Group
Home Town:
Ripley, Grid Ref.: SK4050, Lat.& Long.: 53.0499, -1.3958
Description:
We perform the Hammersmith Guisers Play, ( 5/6 characters, two songs) collected from Percy Cook, Hammersmith, Ripley, in 1983. Percy last performed the play in 1904. 40/50 performances every year since 1984, around Ripley, and in Nottinghamshire (Selston area). Strong local guiseing/bullguiseing tradition in mining area.12 local plays collected.
Established:
1983
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2001 (5), 2004 (3), 2005 (3), 2006 (1), 2009 (5), 2010 (5), 2011 (2), 2012 (5), 2013 (3), 2014 (3), 2015 (2), 2016 (2), 2017 (2), 2018 (2), 2019 (4), 2022 (3), 2023 (3), 2024 (2)
Media Links:
2 links to Photo(s)
Contact:
Graham Clarke (greybags@aol.com), Phone: 01773603665
Address: 16 Oakland Crescent
Riddings
Part of:
Ripley Morris
Notes:
Fridays in December ,13/15 performances each night, in Ripley, Selston, Riddings, Swanwick, Somercotes, Codnor, Heage, Denby, Bullbridge, Crich. Collect for Ripley Hospital League of Friends. 1,471 performances of the play, £42,992.90 raised for Ripley Hospital League of Friends.
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Devon
North Devon Mummers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
West Down, Grid Ref.: SS5142, Lat.& Long.: 51.1624, -4.1251
Description:
North Devon Mummers have maintained their tradition in village pubs since 1970, collecting for a selected local charity each year. Performances take place at approx. 9 p.m. and are followed by a session of tunes and songs fit for Christmas time.
Established:
1970
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2001 (6), 2002 (2), 2003 (9), 2004 (7), 2005 (8), 2006 (11), 2007 (2), 2008 (8), 2009 (2)
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Barbara and Francis Verdigi, Master Mummers (fandb@sosi.net), Phone: 01271 813843
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Durham
Darlington Mummers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
Darlington, Grid Ref.: NZ2814, Lat.& Long.: 54.5249, -1.5596
Description:
Revivalist plays from various places, plus plays collected locally. Our usual performance format is a play followed by song spot which demonstrates our repertoire of fine chorus songs.
Established:
1965
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2002 (1), 2009 (2), 2010 (7), 2011 (2)
Media Links:
1 link to Photo(s)
Contact:
John Clasper, Secretary (john@cshantyman2.com), Phone: 01325 355831 (Eve.) or 0780 6095168 (Mob.)
Address: 114 Blackwell Lane, Darlington, Co. Durham, DL3 8QQ
Notes:
Affiliated to the Morris Ring
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Gloucestershire
Mad Moll Mummer and Mayers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
Winchcombe, Grid Ref.: SP0228, Lat.& Long.: 51.9546, -1.9636
Description:
We offer traditionally inspired folk theatre combining old with new, celebrating the changing seasons and updated for topicality. Our interactive performance includes songs, lively dialogue and audience participation. Our repertoire consists of Christmas Mummers and Wassailing, May and Michaelmas plays. Each lasts about 15 minutes, suitable for all ages.
Established:
2005, Ceased: 2008
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2005 (2), 2006 (6)
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Cressida Pryor, Presenter (zenziallink@hotmail.com), Phone: 0779 1004649
Address: 12 Cheltenham Road, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, GL54 5ND
Part of:
Bumpstart
Notes:
Formerly based in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. Now renamed Happenstance Mummers and Players (Winchcombe Mummers and Players).
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Kent
Cowden Mummers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-acting Sub-Group
Home Town:
Cowden Pound, Grid Ref.: TQ4640, Lat.& Long.: 51.1445, 0.0946
Description:
Our play is still based on the traditional formula of Father Christmas introducing the event then St.George battling, in turn, with a dragon, a Turkish knight and Beelzeebub all for to save the King of Egypt`s daughter (no character, just reference to her). Jolly Jack provides the music on concertina when required and the Doctor is also on hand to bring the fallen characters back to life, St George having triumphed. Father Christmas the brings the play to a close and we all sing the Mummers Play Song.
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2002 (1), 2003 (1), 2004 (1), 2005 (1), 2009 (1), 2010 (2), 2013 (1)
Media Links:
1 link to Photo(s)
Contact:
John Hills (hills636@btinternet.com), Phone: 01732 762224
Part of:
Elsie's Band
Full record >>
The Hoodeners (St Nicholas with Sarre Hoodeners) [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
St Nicholas-at-Wade, Grid Ref.: TR2666, Lat.& Long.: 51.3519, 1.2533
Description:
Hoodening has gone on for over 200 years in East Kent, featuring Hooden Horses (wooden heads on poles with a sack-cloth 'coat'). It is performed in the week before Christmas / Winter Solstice. Songs are an important part; dance not at all.
Established:
1800
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2002 (5), 2003 (4), 2004 (4), 2005 (4), 2008 (6), 2009 (4), 2010 (4), 2011 (2), 2013 (6), 2019 (6), 2022 (6)
Media Links:
1 link to Video
Contact:
Ben Jones (music@ozaru.net), Phone: 01843 847701 (Work)
Notes:
There have been gaps of several years without any active hoodeners, but the current troupe has been performing regularly in pubs and private houses around Thanet since around 1966.
Full record >>
North Yorkshire
Penny Plain Theatre Company (Hardcastle's Mighty Excelsior Theatre Company) [Website]
Category:
Other Performing Group
Home Town:
Grassington
Description:
Performing in the guise of Victorian travelling players, Penny Plain present a comic pastoral selection of songs, dances and a traditional mummers' play. The 45 minute show showcases talents from a breath-taking rapper sword dance to a maypole shambles performed with changing seasonal material in the summer and at Christmas.
Established:
2006
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2012 (4), 2016 (2)
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Jane Ellison-Bates (jane@manifestmarketing.co.uk), Phone: 01756 720034 or 07808 169416
Address: Rose Cottage, Appletreewick, North Yorks,
Notes:
The content of the show varies with each season, but always features a mummers' play.
Full record >>
Somerset
Bishopswood Mummers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
Bishopswood, Grid Ref.: ST2512, Lat.& Long.: 50.9066, -3.0597
Description:
A Character Costumed group that is mixed gender with the play including dance and song items. Perform a play that is a reconstruction from the collection of several plays previously recorded in Somerset.
Established:
1979
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2002 (2), 2003 (3), 2004 (3), 2005 (1), 2006 (3), 2008 (1), 2009 (1)
Media Links:
1 link to Photo(s)
Contact:
Roger Conway (roger@rogerconway.co.uk), Phone: 01823 270854
Full record >>
South Yorkshire
Harthill Tuppers [Website]
Category:
Folk Play-only Group
Home Town:
Harthill village. Nr. Sheffield
Description:
A local mining custom sometimes known as T'owd Tup
Established:
2004
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Derrek Leigh, member (derrekleigh@trunkles.wanadoo.co.uk)
Notes:
Traditional New Year custom, but the Harthill Tuppers have adapted it for performances at festivals and can supplement a 'show' with Morris dances, music & songs.
Full record >>
West Sussex
Chichester Folk Song Club Tipteerers
Category:
Folk Play-acting Sub-Group
Home Town:
Chichester, Grid Ref.: SU8604, Lat.& Long.: 50.8330, -0.7715
Description:
Performing traditional, modified and new mumming plays exclusively for Folk Club Christmas party (with occasional charity performances for private functions).
Established:
1992
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
Kerry Manning, Club Publicity & Tipteerer (chifolksongclub@btinternet.com)
Part of:
Chichester Folk Song Club
Notes:
Latest incarnation started in 1992, but previous existences are remembered in the folk club's 50 year history.
Full record >>
USA
California
California Revels [Website]
Category:
Special Festival Troupe
Home Town:
Oakland, Lat.& Long.: 37.8000, -122.2667
Description:
Revels performs in celebration of each season of the year. Our Christmas Revels invariably includes a Mummers' play as well as other folk rituals, stories and songs.
Established:
1986
Performances:
Forthcoming: None registered
Past events: 2005 (6), 2008 (6), 2010 (5), 2013 (6), 2014 (6)
Media Links:
[None registered]
Contact:
David Parr, Artistic Director (dparr@well.com), Phone: 510 532-9429
Full record >>
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