guardian.co.uk: We all know by now that the King James Bible is 400 years old, right? I mean, it has been everywhere. We've had James Naughtie retelling its story on Radio Four, a book and a television series from Melvyn Bragg and, over on BBC Four, Adam Nicolson comparing the book to the Millennium Dome. There have been exhibitions, lectures, readathons and flower festivals. This Sunday, there's even a "Bible Cake" courtesy of Bradford Cathedral, which will, presumably, lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Every thing a season ... the Bible's lasting impact on theatre
guardian.co.uk: We all know by now that the King James Bible is 400 years old, right? I mean, it has been everywhere. We've had James Naughtie retelling its story on Radio Four, a book and a television series from Melvyn Bragg and, over on BBC Four, Adam Nicolson comparing the book to the Millennium Dome. There have been exhibitions, lectures, readathons and flower festivals. This Sunday, there's even a "Bible Cake" courtesy of Bradford Cathedral, which will, presumably, lead to much wailing and gnashing of teeth.
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4 comments:
This article is interesting because it isn't often that the topic of religion is so closely practiced when it comes to shows. The modern world doesn't require the bible and religion nearly as much as input as it once did. But it is interesting that there is still a great deal of dealing with religion non the less, just maybe in a different way.
The article mentions ancient Greece, and could go one further and mention Rome, or the Kingdom of Henry VIII maybe even Elizabeth, as periods where religion meant something vastly more significant than what it means today. Today, the portrayal of religion could be seen as satirical, a plain farce, and we definitely have the freedom to try and criticize the very basis of religion. We do this with a unrelenting passion because we can. The very idea of religion is interesting to me and I'm not always sure what to think of it. The few plays I've read or have seen regarding religion are somewhat disturbing. It is no Woody Allen deal, but more of religion being viewed as something to be feared. It usual proves itself as somewhat of a hindrance to the average character's life. I like the article for reminding me that it does, nonetheless, play an important role in our societies and in the theatre.
I agree that, despite the obvious connections distinguished in this article, the theatre and the Bible do not seem to go hand-in-hand on most topics. What I found interesting about this article is the idea that theatre can do a good job of bringing the topics of the Bible into the present, but what remains unsaid in this article is what affect this would have. Aside from reading the Bible out loud, which is what it was apparently written for, biblical content can be used in so many different ways in a theatrical production, and I feel that this is the real topic of discussion and discontent among some audiences.
Anytime we look at literature we ask, what is relevant? What holds the test of time? Without a doubt The Bible stands up to that test. We can hardly view a play from ancient times which doesn't have some religious significance from the Greek gods to the morality plays. It is hardly news that The Bible is significant and has a "lasting impact on theatre". It is surprising to me that it has been neglected in the modern era. Perhaps that neglect stems from the separation of church and state in American. We tend to dismiss themes which have spoken to the human psyche for generations because they have the G word in them. Looking at the Bible in this light, we see characters dealing with life and death struggles and that always makes good theater.
At its heart, the business of theatre is storytelling, and some of the best stories in all of literature certainly come from the Bible. I too am surprised, therefore, that by and large modern theatre has stayed away from the Bible as source material. I wonder if, in addition to what previous comments have said, the Bible has been avoided because of its "sensitive" nature. I wonder if the theatre, which frequently prides itself on breaking barriers and making people uncomfortable, is itself uncomfortable using the Bible because it holds such an important and such an illusory place in American (and global) society. In trying to separate church and state, America has almost put religion, particularly Christianity, up on a sort of unreferenceable pedestal.
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