Midgley Pace Egg Play (Document ID: 102378)
Midgley Pace Egg Play
Author: Unknown
Date: 1912
Location: Midgley
Format: Photograph - Colour
Document ID: 102378
Library ID:
As was customary in the Calder Valley, the Midgley version of the Pace Egg was performed at Easter. The play was performed throughout Calderdale, generally on Good Friday. This photograph, taken about 1912 in Midgley School playground, shows children ('Pace Eggers') in their costumes.
The Pace-Egg play is indigenous, but not restricted, to the West Riding, and features a cast of traditional characters: Fool, St George, Bold Slasher, Doctor, Black Prince of Paradine, King of Egypt, Hector and TossPot . Such plays are documented from the late 18th century, when they were widely circulated and sold as broadsheets. This tended to standardise scripts, but internal literary evidence might suggest earlier dating, to the 16th century.
The Midgley version was performed in the 18th century and continued until World War I. It was revived at Midgley School by H. W. Harwood and F. H. Marsden in the 1930s, when it was broadcast to North Region radio listeners in 1931 and 1932. Another radio broadcast in 1934 was also filmed for the BBC. In 1951 performances were transferred from Midgley School to Calder High School in Mytholmroyd, with Calder High performing until 2016. The play is now performed by an independent team.
See also: The Pace Egg Plays of the Calder Valley, Eddie Cass (FLS Books, 2004)
