A dozen witnesses to the crucifixion of Jesus will be voiced by church members in a powerful re-telling of the events of Good Friday and Easter Day, in a group of North Yorkshire churches during Holy Week.
‘To the Cross’ is a sequence of dramatic poems by teacher, script writer, director, author and poet Michael Justin Davis; it was written for presentation in Salisbury Cathedral in 1983, and first came to Kirkbymoorside and nearby churches in the early 2000s.
Directed by the Revd Yvonne Yates, this year’s presentation takes place at 7.00pm on Tuesday 31st March at St Mary’s Church high in the North York Moors at Farndale; at 7.00pm on Wednesday 1st April at St Michael & All Angels’ Church in the Ryedale hill village of Great Edstone; and at 7.00pm on Good Friday, 3rd April, in the 13th Century Church of All Saints in Kirkbymoorside.
‘To the Cross’ is written in blank verse as a series of dramatic monologues by those witnessing or participating in the crucifixion and resurrection; Jesus doesn’t appear but the cast includes Peter, Mary Magdalene, Judas, Joseph of Aramathea and the soldier who nails Jesus to the cross.
“It’s disturbing to inhabit a character in raw shock as they describe a terrible experience,” says Martin Sheppard, who voices Simon of Cyrene. “The words don’t come easily but we’ve all been moved as we’ve learned to own the individuals whose names are so familiar from the Bible stories.
“Anyone attending will share that depth and perspective – this is living Christ’s story at its most extreme moments.”
The presentation will last a little over an hour and all are welcome.
- Tuesday 31st March, 7.00pm, St Mary’s Church, Farndale.
- Wednesday 1st April, 7.00pm, St Michael & All Angels’ Church, Great Edstone
- Good Friday, 3rd April, 7.00pm, All Saints’ Church, Kirkbymoorside
