Liturgical drama

The nature of the ‘Liturgical drama’ is much misunderstood. As Richard Axton showed (1974) the notion that secular drama derived from that of the church is the reverse of the truth. The idea of semi-dramatic presentations of parts of the liturgy seems to derive from the secular stage influencing the ‘Quem queritis’ Easter dialogue in the early 10th century. This dialogue initiated more florid episodes, especially at the Christmas season; eventually the dramatic (and sometime comical) possibilities were realised in later compositions such as the Play of Daniel, which is nothing less than an early opera. The hymns found in the liturgical dramas often display a notable peculiarity: they...