The Fleury Playbook: liturgical drama and its production in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire

Title: The Fleury Playbook: liturgical drama and its production in Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire
Source document: Theatralia. 2018, vol. 21, iss. 1, pp. 133-149
Extent
133-149
  • ISSN
    1803-845X (print)
    2336-4548 (online)
Type: Article
Language
License: Not specified license
 

Notice: These citations are automatically created and might not follow citation rules properly.

Abstract(s)
Předkládaná studie se zabývá funkcí vizuálních elementů uvnitř sakrálních středověkých budov během konání liturgického divadla. V první části autorka vymezuje druh této veřejné události, upozorňuje na jeho těsnou provázanost se samotnou liturgií a na její divadelní rozměr. Činí tak prostřednictvím různých historických textů, jež dokazují, že tendence přemýšlet o liturgii jako o performanci svého druhu existují již od 9. století. V návaznosti na tuto myšlenku pak pojímá interiéry sakrálních budov jako scénografická řešení liturgického divadla, tj. místa jeho konání. Příkladem je benediktinské opatství ve Fleury, v jehož klášterní knihovně byla nalezena sbírka deseti liturgických her z 12. století (tzv. Fleury Playbook). Zvážíme-li dobové inscenování těchto her v místním kostele Svatého Benedikta, je nasnadě jej v tomto kontextu chápat právě jako scénografické prostředí. Uvedený příklad proto tvoří jádro této studie a detailněji je rozebrán v její druhé části.
Present study comprises the function of visual elements of medieval sacred buildings in liturgical theatre productions. In the first part, the author defines the theatrical genre, outlining its connection to liturgy proper which itself has a striking theatrical quality. Based on a number of period texts, the author proves the tendencies to consider liturgy a kind of theatrical performance existed as early as the 9th century. As a consequence, the interiors of sacred buildings are considered stage designs for performances of liturgical theatre, and analysed as such, e. g. Benedictine abbey St. Fleury (France), the library of which hosts a manuscript of ten liturgical plays from 12th century, so-called Fleury Playbook. The plausible staging of these plays in the monastic church of St. Benedict is yet another reason to regard the church as a scenographic environment, as is argued in detail in the second part of the paper.
References
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