'Birds, Beasts, and Battles': The mummers of the Renaissance

The mummers of Philadelphia are the heirs of a grand tradition of street performers and court entertainers. For its next concert, Piffaro returns to its Renaissance street band roots and presents a look at the mummers of the Renaissance. The mummers will be a pair of talented specialists, mime Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell, the award-winning directors of Washington, D.C.’s Happenstance Theater. They’ll take their material from a Renaissance bestiary and present the dance of the bear, the sad song of the swan, and other manifestations that combine their art with the sounds of Piffaro’s menagerie of exotic Renaissance instruments. Piffaro always comes up with a winner when it presents this kind of show and Jaster is one of its most memorable guests.

Piffaro will present “Mummers’ Delight: Birds, Beasts, and Battles” on March 18 at 7:30pm at Trinity Memorial, 22nd and Spruce Streets, Philadelphia; March 19 at 7:30pm at the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill 8855, Germantown Ave, Philadelphia; and March 20 at 3pm at Sts Andrew & Matthew Episcopal Church, Wilmington. Tickets are $35-40 for adults and $10 for youth and students, and they’re available at the door, by calling 215-235-8469, or online.

For Tom Purdom's review of this concert, click here.