The essays collected here centre upon the idea of 'festive drama', encompassing processions and folk-customs, as well as full-blown plays. Geographically wide-ranging, with material from Spain, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Britain, Denmark, and Bohemia (now the Czech Republic), the main focus is the medieval period, referring however to a style and approach rather than time-scale, and reflecting a culture in which there are no firm divisions between drama and pageantry and traditional ceremonies.

The essays are linked by some remarkably consistent themes: the world turned upside-down of Shrovetide; the emotive force of religious celebration; and the links between commerce and the demonstration of civic pride.

Adopting a theoretical viewpoint, some articles see festive customs as indicating the hidden agendas of popular culture, and attempt to fit them into various patterns of social tension and evolution; others reconstruct the social dynamics of particular performances, or ask when tradition becomes heritage. Throughout, the book opens a fascinating window on the variety of ways in which people can enjoy themselves and celebrate their social identity.