Changes In Medieval Theater

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Beginning after the fall of the Roman Empire, the Catholic Church was insistent on eliminating all traveling performances due to their “sinful” secular nature. Although they are the cause of this suppression, they are also the cause of the restoration of theatre. Starting in the 10th Century, the church used theatrical elements, such as scenery, to help teach the congregation lessons and stories seeing as most of the population was illiterate.
These productions eventually progressed to become liturgical dramas. This intensified up until the 13th century when the dramatics grew too large to be performed indoors, but all varied in size and style depending on the church and its location. There were common characteristics due to them being established by the clergy to avoid any and all secular embellishments.
Changes in the theater began when they gained the support of nobility. When the aristocracy began to support secular professional theatre troupes, religious theatre as a whole began to deteriorate. The interests of the nobility made its way down to the lower classes and the building of permanent playhouses lead to the downfall of Medieval Theater.

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