The Shepherds Play

The Shepherdsʼ Play will be performed by the friends of Michael House School. Sadly the school closed in 2019, but some of the teachers and parents and friends are keeping the tradition alive and All Saints has kindly offered to accommodate the play so we can all share in the celebration of the Christmas Nativity. John the organist of All Saints will be playing the piano to accompany the singing.

The Shepherdsʼ play is one of three plays known as The Oberufer Plays. They were first performed by farm labourers and members of the community of Oberufer:- an Island on the River Danube on the Austrian Hungarian border, during Medieval times. The plays were passed down through generations and observed by Karl Schroer, an Austrian Professor who noted them down at the end of the 19th century. They were then edited by his student Rudolf Steiner who also grew up in a rural community in Austria, and translated by A. C. Harwood in the 1940s. These are the plays that are performed at Christmas in Steiner Waldorf Schools throughout the world, as a gift from the teachers to the pupils and parents. No mean feat when you consider the workload of teachers in that term and having to cope with overexcited children as Christmas draws near.

Advent was a very special time of year at Michael House. Each classroom had its own real fir tree decorated with real candles that were lit and Advent songs sung every morning: ”From the Forest bring the boughs of fir and spruce and pine, ring the bells, ring the bells, for now it is Advent time” and “People Look East the Time is Near of the Crowning of the Year” echoed throughout the corridors. Children would do candle dipping, make gingerbread and wreaths and paper stars. On the last days of term the teachers would perform the Paradise Play about Adam and Eve, followed by the Shepherds Play. Different teachers would take the different roles each year, so although the plays are always the same they were always slightly different and were eagerly anticipated….who would play the devil this year, were they better than the teacher who performed it last year? There is also an element of ad-libbing in the middle of the play and references to events in the school or the political situation in the country. In the last few years the Class 10 pupils, 16 year olds would take on the roles of the Shepherds, bringing an energy and hilarity to the performance. The third play – The Kings Play about the coming of the 3 Kings and the other 2 Kings Christ and Herod is a much darker play and was performed on 6th January, Epiphany. This was only performed a few times at Michael House.

The Shepherdsʼ Play tells the story of The Nativity. It is very simple, with the minimum of props and seems almost austere in this day and age when consumerism has taken over Christmas. Within the play, which has music and singing is the miracle of the birth of Christ. It is beautifully portrayed with just the gesture of Maryʼs arms. Then the Shepherds bring their humble, simple gifts to the Christ child. After all the hustle and bustle of preparations that go on during Advent it is a very calming to watch this play and feels like the beginning of Christmas. The songs and music will stay in your head throughout the festive time. It is an experience not to be missed!

Admission is free. There will be refreshments. A collection will be taken at the end for contributions to cost of heating the church.

Freya James