DON’T be alarmed if you find yourself in the company of half a dozen men with blackened faces, dressed in tatters, at this time of year.

For ‘tis the season the Stourvale Mummers invade local pubs and perform short folk plays of derring-do, slaying and coming back to life.

For as far back as five hundred years, mummers have gone around the principal houses, farms and inns to perform the medieval play of St George, which follows a typical midwinter theme of death and resurrection.

Chris Mason of the Stourvale Mummers said: “The origin of mumming is obscure. Some believe they stem from the old pagan notions of sympathetic magic.

“You play out what you want to happen – in this case the death of winter and the re-birth of spring and summer.”

The Stourvale Mummers’ play comes out of the Dorset Year Book of 1955 and is the one regularly performed in Sixpenny Handley up to around the 1880s.

“The content has been passed down through the generations verbally. But a lot has suffered in translation,” said Chris. “Someone may have written something down once but it’s forgotten or changed.”

The play’s current line-up includes a Turkish Knight, who Chris explained represented a stranger – possibly originally coming from as far afield as Sussex! “Some plays instead have a Turkey Snipe which shows how things get lost in translation,” he said.

Other key players include a Valiant Soldier, St George, and a doctor who brings the dead back to life. Not forgetting a compere in the form of Father Christmas, plus plenty of props such at hats, swords and shields.

Behind the disguises are the Bourne River Morris Men who turn into the Stourvale Mummers in winter.

Chris, who has been involved for 24 years said: “The costumes don’t relate to the characters, but it’s all part of the disguise.”

Indeed, the word mummer has roots in a German word meaning disguise. Sometimes the term guiser is used instead of mummer which also seems related to the word.

Chris explained the need to cover up their identity: “Centuries ago, midwinter was a tough time for many country labourers. Extreme hunger was probable, so mumming afforded the possibility of a few extra coins and a feed in the squire’s kitchen.

“To avoid being recognised for their begging (or even poaching), the men would blacken their faces and wear hats and rags as a cheap disguise.”

Today, the traditional players still beg, but all the money raised goes toward helping local children with special needs.

“Sometimes a few hundred pounds can make a big difference to someone’s life,” said Chris.

“People are very generous and those who have chucked their handfuls of change into our grubby hats would find their money well spent.”

The mummers pass round their hat at the conclusion of the play, which may also include snatches of carols.

“Our routine is really boiled down to its essence. It lasts about eight minutes. It is short, we beg, then we go away quickly.

“I love the folk aspect of it all. There are all sorts of new elements and variations of the old but what really matters is what survives.”

  • FIND out when you can see them too, with the Stourvale Mummers timetable 2008:

    Weds Dec 17: 8.00pm Elm Tree – Hightown, nr Ringwood; 8.30pm The Foresters – Frogham; 9.15pm The Horse & Groom – Woodgreen; 10.00pm The Cartwheel – Whitsbury.

    Thurs Dec 18: 8.30pm The Vine – Pamphill; 9.00pm The Crown & Anchor – Wimborne; 9.30pm The Horns – Colehill; 10.00pm Royal British Legion – Wimborne.

    Fri Dec 19: 8.30pm Drucillas Inn – Horton; 9.00pm Horton Inn – Horton; 9.30pm Barley Mow – Broomhill; 10.00pm Cross Keys – Mannington.

    Sat Dec 20: 8.00pm The Bull – Wimborne St. Giles; 8.30pm The Drovers – Gussage All Saints; 9.00pm Grand Christmas Ceilidh at the Village Hall, Tarrant Keynston, Dorset.

    Sun Dec 21: 12.30pm Red Lion – Sturminster Marshall; 1.00pm Botany Bay – Winterbourne Zelston; 1.30pm Coventry Arms – Corfe Mullen; 2.00pm Holme Bush – Corfe Mullen.