SOURCE: "York Crucifixion Play," in Medieval Drama, edited by Christine Richardson and Jackie Johnston, St. Martin's Press, 1991, pp. 61-78.

In the following excerpt, Richardson examines the staging of the York Crucifixion play—in her judgment, "the central climactic point of the Mystery Cycle"—and demonstrates how it draws the spectators into the responsibility for Christ's suffering and death. She maintains that the vivid portrayal of Christ's sacrifice leads the audience, first, to understand its personal relevance and, second, to acknowledge it as the route to redemption for humanity.

A wealth of details in civic documents, guild accounts and church records survives for the organisation and performance of the York Mystery Cycle and the text survives complete in one manuscript which clearly indicates its provenance from York. Although this material gives many indications as to the method of staging the plays and to the status the cycle had in...