The Canterbury Tales
The year is 1380 and a group of pilgrims are gathered in London at Harry Bailey’s
tavern, preparing to travel to Canterbury in order to pray at the shrine of Thomas
Becket. To liven the journey, Harry Bailey announces a story-telling contest – the
winner will be offered a meal on their return. Whilst Geoffrey Chaucer has offered to
write down their tales, his choice of idiom - Middle English - is questioned. Surely
Latin or French would be more… ‘de rigeur’? The beauty of Chaucer’s narrative has
of course inspired generations of writers since, and our play contains original prose
from the ‘father of English poetry’.
Main characters and their tales
The Knight - Socially the most prominent person on the pilgrimage, he represents
chivalry, truth, and honor. The Knight's Tale is a story filled with knights, love, honor,
love, chivalry, love and adventure. Did we mention love?
The Miller – Next in line (having pushed!) the drunken Miller warns everyone that his
tale about a carpenter will be very risqué. The story, about a carpenter and his
adulterous wife, more than fulfills the promise and the aged Reeve (who was a
carpenter in his younger days) is outraged.
The Reeve – As mentioned above, he was once a carpenter and his tale is a direct
response to the Miller’s. In ‘The Reeve's Tale’ two university students sleep with the
wife and daughter of a miller. Very common in medieval fabliau, the "cradle-trick,"
shows someone getting into the wrong bed because the cradle has been moved.
The Nun’s Priest – The Nun’s Priest’s Tale is an example of the literary style known
as a bestiary (or a beast fable). Meet Chanticleer the coq and his hens: Perthelote,
Cocotte, Charlotte, Foxtrot and Philedelphia Pepper Pot. Enter the Fox…
The Pardoner - Pardoners, as their name suggests, granted forgiveness for sins in
exchange for charitable donations to the Church – a lucrative business indeed.
Chaucer’s Pardoner is proud of his relics, which include ‘the bone of Jacob’s sheep,
set in brass’. The Pardoner’s Tale warns against the vices of Gluttony, Avarice,
Gambling, and Swearing. Death is personified and goes to work...
The Wife of Bath – A woman of the world, she is widely travelled, has been married
five times and doesn’t plan stopping there! In her story, a Knight accused of rape is
sent by the Queen on a quest to learn about submission to women…