May 17, 2011
This May, Oxford’s Creation Theatre Company celebrates the 400th anniversary of the first publication of the King James Bible with an innovative new production, Tales from King James. In their quirky condensed version of the Bible, Creation treat the audience to a whistle-stop tour of the famous book’s most marvellous stories and breathe new life into such well-known tales as Jonah and the whale, Noah’s Ark and Moses’ parting of the Red Sea.
St Barnabas Church provides an ideal atmospheric setting for these marvellous stories. Not only does the splendour of the church’s interior complement the lofty language of the Bible, but the building is a stone's throw from OUP, which had license to print copies of the King James back in the mid 1600's.
The script fluctuates between Jacobean and modern language. As well as making the stories accessible to children (and those unversed in the Old Testament), the seamless blend of old and new shows the prevalence of the language of the Bible in modern day secular life. As characters contemplate ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ or ponder ‘am I my brother’s keeper?’ the audience is reminded how the teachings of the Bible live on today in all strands of society.
In true Creation style, this production succeeds in telling timeless and well-known stories in a brand new way. Director Helen Tennison works with the actors Tom Peters and Raewyn Lippert to create a novel framework for Biblical storytelling. A man and woman are thrown into exile and lead on a journey through the passages in the Bible.
As the couple unravel the messages contained in the Bible’s stories, they move from despair to courage, peace and hope. While their journey to contemplation reveals the message at the heart of the Christian faith, secular audiences are in no way excluded from enjoying this production. The show is, above all else, a feat of storytelling. Whatever your knowledge or beliefs about Christianity, the stories from the King James are among the best ever told and, thanks to their spirited interpretation, Creation Theatre are able to do them justice.
The show has all the hallmarks of this inspiring company – a wonderfully imaginative use of space and props, a generous sprinkling of comedy and vigorously physical performances throughout. The strong chemistry between the two cast members was understandable, given their real-life relationship as husband and wife, and both Peters and Lippert were a joy to watch as they raced through a head-spinning array of characters, accents and facial expressions. Peters in particular is a natural story-teller and had the audiences in stitches with his exaggerated gurning and liberal use of his tongue.
Creation Theatre is known for vigorous and innovative productions, and its latest offering is no exception. Tales from King James is an energetic, thought-provoking and spellbinding production - a fitting tribute to the Bible’s 400th anniversary and a joy from beginning to end.
St Barnabas Church provides an ideal atmospheric setting for these marvellous stories. Not only does the splendour of the church’s interior complement the lofty language of the Bible, but the building is a stone's throw from OUP, which had license to print copies of the King James back in the mid 1600's.
The script fluctuates between Jacobean and modern language. As well as making the stories accessible to children (and those unversed in the Old Testament), the seamless blend of old and new shows the prevalence of the language of the Bible in modern day secular life. As characters contemplate ‘the valley of the shadow of death’ or ponder ‘am I my brother’s keeper?’ the audience is reminded how the teachings of the Bible live on today in all strands of society.
In true Creation style, this production succeeds in telling timeless and well-known stories in a brand new way. Director Helen Tennison works with the actors Tom Peters and Raewyn Lippert to create a novel framework for Biblical storytelling. A man and woman are thrown into exile and lead on a journey through the passages in the Bible.
As the couple unravel the messages contained in the Bible’s stories, they move from despair to courage, peace and hope. While their journey to contemplation reveals the message at the heart of the Christian faith, secular audiences are in no way excluded from enjoying this production. The show is, above all else, a feat of storytelling. Whatever your knowledge or beliefs about Christianity, the stories from the King James are among the best ever told and, thanks to their spirited interpretation, Creation Theatre are able to do them justice.
The show has all the hallmarks of this inspiring company – a wonderfully imaginative use of space and props, a generous sprinkling of comedy and vigorously physical performances throughout. The strong chemistry between the two cast members was understandable, given their real-life relationship as husband and wife, and both Peters and Lippert were a joy to watch as they raced through a head-spinning array of characters, accents and facial expressions. Peters in particular is a natural story-teller and had the audiences in stitches with his exaggerated gurning and liberal use of his tongue.
Creation Theatre is known for vigorous and innovative productions, and its latest offering is no exception. Tales from King James is an energetic, thought-provoking and spellbinding production - a fitting tribute to the Bible’s 400th anniversary and a joy from beginning to end.