St George, patron saint of England in Mummers play, The Lions Part celebrate Twelfth Night on Bankside, Southwark, London
The Lions Part are actors who perform at various puublic events on Bankside in London, starting close the the Globe Theatre. Their Twelfth Night event began with the arrival by boat of the Holly Man, greeted on his landing by the Bankside Mummers, including a rather jolly devil, a bagpiper, the Mayor of Southwark and the London Town Crier. The Holly Man (a winter Green Man) then wassailed (toasted) the Thames, before the whole crowd moved onto the steps of the Globe Theatre for further wassails of a small apple tree and the theatre by the Mayor and the Holly Man. The Mummers then performed a traditional folk-play in which St George had several sword fights, was killed by a stab in the back from the Turkey Sniper, and finally revived. Then all present ate small cakes, in two of which were hidden a golden bean and green pea, and those finding them were crowned king and queen for the day, presented with their vegetable orb and sceptres, then lead the procession to one of Southwark's finest buildings, the George Inn, in the High Street where there was more wassailing, dancing and other festivities.
Size: 5010px × 3354px
Location: Bankside, Southwark, London, England, UK.
Photo credit: © Peter Marshall / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: actors, bankside, christmas, cross, english, face, father, festival, george, globe, inn, lions, london, mummers, night, paint, part, play, procession, red, southwark, st, street, theatre, threatre, traditional, traditions, twelfth, twelth, wassail
