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How did mansion staging represent different locations in medieval plays?
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Western theatre
Anubis weighing the soul of the scribe Ani, from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, c. 1275 bce.
In medieval theatre, mansions (also known as houses or booths) served as localized scenic structures that represented specific geographic or symbolic locations required for a performance, such as "heaven," "hell," or "Jerusalem".123
Staging and Function
These structures were typically small booths featuring a stage, canopy, and decorative curtains, often equipped with props relevant to the scene. Their use was central to a technique known as multiple setting (décor simultané), which allowed for great flexibility in staging.12
- Arrangement: Mansions were configured in various ways—including straight lines, semicircles, or ellipses—around a neutral acting area called the platea.4123
- The Platea: The platea functioned as a generalized space that assumed the identity of whichever mansion was currently in use. When actors moved from a mansion onto the platea, the entire stage area became that specific location, and the other mansions were effectively ignored by the audience.42
- Mobility: In some traditions, such as the English mystery cycles, mansions were built onto pageant wagons. These mobile stages traveled to different stations, allowing the performance to move through a city.23