Tallen Cyenns, The Tale Of The Mummers

It is found written in the Scrolls of Taloned Claws where Tallen is talking with his longtime friend John FitzStephen about Mummers. A mummer was an entertainer who was an amateur actor. They performed at different plays in the villages that were held at the harvest time or on some religious occasion such as Christmas. Sometimes, these plays were specifically meant to preach the religious teachings but the main purpose remained entertainment.

Tallen was telling John that often as he was growing up his brothers, sisters and he would at times put on plays for each other as a form of entertainment. He also recalled of being in a public performance when he was around eight to nine years old. While most commonly, mummers performed in open spaces where a stage could be set for the performers, the one Tallen was in took place indoors. Sometimes mummering parties were held by nobles and monarchs for these plays which took place indoors but this was not the case this time. This play was actually for the Commoners. Tallen even recalled his opening lines to this play. He was playing a mouse and in costume he scampered into a room where a young girl had fallen asleep and said, "What do you suppose is the matter with Balthilda?" It was common for mummers to wear outrageous costumes during their performances. Sometimes, costumes resembling animals could also be worn. The costumes mainly depended on the kind of play and mostly had an element of humor.

A variety of plays were enacted by a mummer. One common form was a guises’ play which was mainly popular in the English speaking parts of Europe. This play was a comic performance mainly done is guise, although it was common to include various religious themes. In parts of Britain and Ireland, Plough Plays were also popular which were mainly performed on Plough Monday. A mummer possessed all the skills required for a sound medieval entertainer. Other than acting in plays, this included skills such as acrobatics, singing, mimicry, and other kinds of entertainment. Eventually they formed into travelling bands of actors with different actors possessing specialized acting skills. Tallen or his brothers and sisters never joined one of these "traveling troupes". But he does remember his oldest brother who was very talented taking parts in many other performances in which he would act, sing, and dance.

While a mummer was quite popular during the medieval times, the concept itself existed in the ancient world as well. Thus the history of mummers can be traced back to ancient civilizations of Egypt, Greece, and Rome. In Europe, they became particularly popular as medieval entertainers during the middle and late medieval times.