Nestling in the beautiful little fishing village of Beer, in East Devon, lies the Congregational Church. Situated in Fore Street, the church has been home to Britain’s oldest Wurlitzer theatre organ for the last fifty years.
The little Wurlitzer organ was the first to be imported into this country from the U.S.A. in 1925. While the Picture House in Walsall was being rebuilt following a fire in 1924, the owners Provincial Cinematograph Theatres ordered a brand new 2-manual 6-rank organ from the Rudolph Wurlitzer Manufacturing Company for installation at the refurbished cinema. The organ cost in the region of £3,900.
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It was during the Medieval Period that the first church dramas began to appear. As Richard Courtney, famous drama teacher and theatre scholar, pointed out that the Mass itself of course has the seeds of drama – chanted dialogue and a theme of action, but not the essential quality of impersonation.
Impersonation began with the trope sung during the night before Easter. A trope was an extra chant written to accompany church music on special occasions. In the Mass, the trope had been sung by the choir. When repositioned, it became a separate little scene performed at Matins on Easter morning; much like a tiny opera, three people impersonated the Marys and one the angel before an improvised sepulchre.
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