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S A F E T Y
The practical work involved in devising celebrations requires the occupational health and safety practices associated with the visual and performing arts. Always put safety first.

Mumming

Mumming shows are a simple structure that can be used to readily develop a wide variety of entertainment. They are medieval in origin based on the archetypes of clown, hero, heroine, villain, doctor (& perhaps doctor's assistant). Each of these characters can readily be translated into a modern day character..

	Principles: Contrast and conflict. Levels: physical, visual, vocal, emotional. Pick up elements of a story elsewhere: in a puppet show, in a stiltwalking character, in a song, in a banner design. It does not matter if people don't put the whole picture/story together so long as they get the sense of a pattern underlying it all. Fill the air above people's heads with images, banners, flags, windsocks, pennants, bunting, fireworks, smoke, vaulting figures etc. Practice: All is done directly to the audience. Ideally the circle is used as it allows maximum audience, but this often changes into a semicircle. Rhyming couplets form the basis of the dialogue as this helps characters remember lines and improvise. It also helps an outdoor crowd hear because they know the rhymes have to be completed. A clown figure leads a musical, acrobatic parade of the characters and enters to clear the space, making contact with the audience and initiating laughter through interaction and stage techniques ("business") eg pratfalls. Beginning with the clown the characters introduce themselves to the audience through a boast about how brave, strong, beautiful, desirable, skilful etc they are. The hero then woos the heroine. The hero and the villain fight. One is slain. The characters reveal that disaster is imminent because of the death. The doctor is called and through some device revitalises the dead. The day is saved, money is gathered for the good luck of the year, there is a final blessing and they all parade away with music. The show should last 15 - 20 minutes. Always put the safety of crew, performers and spectators first - no exceptions.