Samhain 2011 Flash Rite Pub Moot Mummers' Play Rehearsal

Coven Oldenwilde's 17th Annual Samhain (Halloween) Public Witch Ritual was held Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, from 8-10 pm in downtown Asheville, NC. This year's rite was a Flash Rite Pub Moot with Mummers' Play -- a short, humorous, poignant play about the seasonal death and rebirth of John Barleycorn, spirit of hops and grains, that we performed at three brewpubs in downtown Asheville (The Thirsty Monk, Jack of the Wood, and Hannah Flanagan's) and rehearsed in West Asheville (Tolliver's Crossing).
These photos were taken by Jack Hedden at the first dress rehearsal for the Mummers' Play on Friday evening, Oct. 14, 2011. We practiced behind an elementary school near the Covenstead (hence the chalk graffiti you can see in some of them). They show our cast of mummer characters -- the Witch, John Barleycorn, Death, the Healer, Ol' Charmer, the Priestesses -- individually, in procession, and acting out the scenes of the play. Here are our many favorites -- out of the 99 Jack took -- with minimal editing and in the order they were taken.

Click on a thumbnail to view the larger versions of a photo. Feel free to download and use them with credit to Jack Hedden and Coven Oldenwilde.

• See photo album of the Flash Rite Pub Moot showing pub performances, processions, and spiral dance.


• Read about Samhain 17, including the cast, script, and the history and meaning of mummers' plays.


• Visit Jack's Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/heddenj or email him at longestemailknowntoman@gmail.com.
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