John Barleycorn: A Suitable Case for Mumming
Abstract
Like the Green Man, the concept of the Corn God is deeply rooted in the human condition. However, although the universality of the Green Man can be recognised throughout hunter-gatherer societies, the Corn God is specifically agrarian in origin. The song "John Barleycorn" was already in print in 1635, but evidence (and common sense) suggests that it is, in essence, a much older piece. The "authenticity" of the song has been the subject of much debate, because of its arrival in such a complete form, with no apparent antecedent fragments. Whatever these may (or may not) have been, the song remains a powerful and mystically resonant one. There is a plethora of ritual and ceremony surrounding both the planting and harvesting of grain, but the over-arching death/resurrection motif of "John Barleycorn" prompted me to create a mumming play using the combat structure as a template. This has now been performed several times, and I offer it as a contribution to the "Folk Process", in the hope that it gives a tangential view of the story.
About the author
David Lock is an independent consultant in Environmental Chemistry. A lifelong folk singer and musician, he was introduced to the Morris tradition (and subsequently to mumming) whilst a student. Co-founder of the Whitchurch Steam Punkers, he has written a number of play adaptations on environmental themes, together with the full-length comedy "Mummers", performed during the Liverpool Capital of Culture event in 2008.
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