Passion Plays are not just for Easter!

July 3, 2026

By Passion Trust

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Passion Plays tell the central story of Easter, but they are part of the greater story of the Bible which is dramatised in many different ways throughout the year. At Christmas we see the story of Jesus’ birth dramatised in Nativity Plays and this summer the York Mystery Plays dramatise the Passion narrative within the context of the whole Biblical story – from Creation to Last Judgement. This blog looks at some of the ways the Passion has been dramatised in the York Mystery Plays, as well as other Passion Plays in the summer of 2026!

York Mystery Plays

The Mystery Plays were performed on wagons this year in York, giving a glimpse into medieval life and thought and capturing the history and traditions in the medieval city.

Historically, the full Mystery Play cycle included 48 different plays, each performed on wagons in different parts of the city, with performances taking place for the entire day. The beginning of the day saw the performance of the rebellion of Satan against God in heaven before moving on to creation and then all the way through the major stories of the Old Testament, then the New Testament. From a spectacular Creation performance, on a wagon with spectacular moving scenery showing the sun and moon rising and falling, audiences would have seen the Fall of Adam and Eve and Noah and the Ark, the birth of Christ, the Massacre of the Innocents, the Last Supper, Crucifixion and Resurrection. The final performance of the Last Judgement, neatly timed as the sun went down, was an elaborate finale showing the saved invited up to heaven while the damned were led off to hell through a flaming hell mouth spurting squibs and fire.

The Guilds and the Crucifixion

Every year the city of York was transformed into a stage and the events were both devotional and educational, as well as a testament to the city’s wealth and prestige. Each play was performed by a different Guild. In the medieval Corpus Christi plays, the Plaisterers Guild performed the Creation of the World, and the Company of Merchant Taylors performed the Ascension.

The crucifixion play, most relevant to Passion Plays, was performed by the York Butchers’ Guild. The Shambles in York was known as the butcher’s street and the Butchers Hall was situated just behind the Shambles. The Butchers Guild was responsible for feeding the city as well as regulating hygiene and measures and enforcing non-meat periods of fasting. The crucifixion scene in the York Mystery Plays has a unique take on the crucifixion: the four men responsible for stretching, nailing and raising Jesus on the cross are everyday workmen banging, shouting and bantering as they go about their work. Only the audience knows the true meaning of what they are doing and what impact it will have on the whole world!

Reviving the Medieval Plays

The York Mystery Plays took place during Corpus Christi festivals at the height of summer for nearly 200 years, but were banned in 1569 during the Reformation. The wagon performances of the York Mystery Plays were revived in 1951 for the Festival of Britain and have been performed in York periodically ever since. Today you can see them performed every four years.

This year the York Mystery Plays were performed on pageant wagons that moved through the city, stopping at different locations to present their plays. People watched on the street at four stops—the Minster Refectory Gardens on Deansgate, King’s Square, and St Sampson’s Square. There was a final ticketed performance at the end at Dean’s Park.

The plays are at once simple and deep, with age-old themes and contemporary relevance. They bring people together from across the city and from far and wide, with a vast amount of talent and dedication going into each performance. You can hear the ‘Voices of the York Mystery Plays’ here.

In 2026 the Mystery Plays were performed by community actors including the York Settlement Community Players and the Lords of Misrule as well as actors from Papermouse Theatre. The current Master at the Company of Cordwainers was also part of the cast in the Shepherds’ play!

Life of Christ, Wintershall

The Life of Christ is an immersive theatre experience in the beautiful grounds of the Wintershall Estate in Surrey. Over a hundred actors perform in the wide-sweeping open-air production and it has been performed every summer since 1999. Audiences sit on picnic blankets or stand under the shade of trees to see the Wedding in Cana, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. They see Jesus healing the blind and talking to his disciples and even become part of the crowd that follows him – during the Feeding of the 5000 even eat of the bread that is passed around. The play includes animals, Roman soldiers and a full crucifixion, followed by a resurrection party with barbequed fish! You can find out more here.

Tegelan Passion Play, Netherlands

A Passion Plays has been performed in Tegelen in Limburg, the southernmost province of the Netherlands, since 1931. It is a large-scale theatrical performance by enthusiastic amateurs and tens of thousands of spectators come to be watch it. It incorporates theatrical performance, symbolic representation, religious storytelling and community engagement. You can watch the 2026 promo video below.

Passion Plays are not just for Easter!