Folk play
Folk plays such as Hoodening, Guising, Mummers Play and Soul Caking are generally verse sketches performed in countryside pubs in European countries, private houses or the open air, at set times of the year such as the Winter or Summer solstices or Christmas and New Year. Many have long traditions, although they are frequently updated to retain their relevance for contemporary audiences.
With the rise in folklore studies as an academic discipline, research into folk plays has increased. Notable organizations in this area have included:
- Centre for English Cultural Tradition and Language, founded in 1975 based on prior research programmes, inside the University of Sheffield's Department of English
- Institute of Dialect and Folklife Studies
- National Centre for English Cultural Tradition
- Institute of Folklore Studies
- Folklore Department at the Memorial University of Newfoundland
- Centre for English Traditional Heritage
- Traditional Drama Research Group
- Centre for Contemporary Legend
- Sussex Centre for Folklore Fairy Tales and Fantasy
- Vaughan Williams Memorial Library.