Colourful footage of traditional Irish mummers, a form of folk theatre.
Rhyming plays typically follow a long-established tradition, comprising three phases - hero-combat, death and revival - and several commonly featured characters, the likes of Saint George, Oliver Cromwell, Jack Straw, Beelzebub...
The resurrection (phase three) is followed by the return of a succession of characters, who deliver lines to encourage donations.
Characters, setting and dialogue, though largely similar, might demonstrate a degree of variety. In this footage, for example, the performance is presented in a farmhouse kitchen, with each of the cast entering in turn. This was typical of south Down, whereas rhymers in parts of Antrim might enter as a group.