Boxing Day sees the mummers plays revived (From Witney Gazette)
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Boxing Day sees the mummers plays revived
10:10am Thursday 27th December 2012 in News
Headington Quarry Morris Dancers’ Terry Phipps as the Turkish Knight and Alan Kimber-Nicholson as King George perform their traditional mummers play
MEMBERS of Oxfordshire’s folk world came together for a Boxing Day tradition yesterday.
But instead of dozing in front of the television or walking off the Christmas dinner, Morris dancers across the county performed “mummers” plays out in the open for all to see.
Alan Kimber-Nicholson, from Headington Quarry Morris Dancers, dressed as King George for their play.
He said: “It’s a revival, a celebration of raising up the crops again.
“The characters are effectively acting parts and it celebrates having a good crop, cutting it down and then bringing it back.”
He said the mummers was a popular tradition in the folk world, and said it was one he enjoyed.
He said: “It is fun, and it’s a really strong local tradition and a family thing, which has been going for a great many years.”
