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When people think of medieval Christianity they often summon up visions of mumbling monks and self-flagellating martyrs, opulence and grandeur paired up with austerity and strict morality. But where was the laughter? Where were the jokes? (And were they funny?) In this talk, Jamie Beckett looks at some intriguing evidence of popular drama from towns and cities in the North East, giving us a glimpse of a robust performance culture where humour and laughter could be entirely bound up with devotion.