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City tales for Easter passion
Three tales of suffering from Preston will form the centrepiece of a huge arts event to mark Easter during the city’s Guild celebrations.
The Passion, a modern day re-working of biblical passion plays due to be screened on national television, will be made up of three films and culminate in a show which will see hundreds of dancers create a human crucifix across the city centre.
The hour-long drama will be based on a stories of the 19th century mill strikes in the city, the life of a nurse caring for injured soldiers in the First World War and of a young carer looking after her parents in the city.
It will be beamed to an audience of millions on BBC One on Good Friday making and will be the “centre piece” of the channel’s religious programming over Easter.
Details of the show will be unveiled by BBC One bosses tonight when they meet with city leaders although the big name actors taking part remain a closely-guarded secret.
It is believed that up to 60 members of the cast, including a number of professional actors, will be unveiled tonight.
Guild festival director Stella Hall said: “I know the BBC is identifying a respected presenter to take the part of a narrator, a fabulous singer to help with the choir and are about to sign some quality names from the world of drama.
“Preston has got some fantastic acting talent which will be represented in all three films, alongside regional and national names.”
She added the films would focus on the religious Easter themes of “sacrifice, love and redemption” with biblical characters of Jesus, the Virgin Mary and Roman governor Pontius Pilate.
The crucifix will centre on the city’s iconic bus station and spread through the city centre around buildings creating the crucifix.
Aaqil Ahmed, commissioning editor for religion and head of religion and ethics at the BBC, said: “The combination of live spectacle and new contemporary drama will be a real must see event.”
Last year, Hollywood star Michael Sheen created and starred in a three-day Passion play in his hometown of Port Talbot, in Neath, South Wales.
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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Comments
There are 4 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
AdoptedByPreston
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 07:13 PM#3 The bus station is cheaper to repair than it is to replace - the council figures for both scenarios vouch for this. The cost of modernisation is probably not too far from the cost of demolition once you consider the teams that would be involved to bring the structure down and then transport all of that rubble from the city centre before disposing of it. If I go back to where I came from, would you promise to do an evening class in basic literacy and typing skills?
Nivek
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 06:59 PMThe Bust Station is going to be demolished because it will cost millioms to repair, thanks too the Goverment that money is no longer available. Why do you thinkpeople are loosing their jobs at the Council in answer to Adoptednby Preston. Perhaps you should go back towhere you came from
AdoptedByPreston
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 03:17 PMYet again the bus station is being used as a filming location. It's been used for so many arty & cultural events now. When will the simple minded barbarians at the council realise what an asset they have on their hands? Instead of dragging their knuckles along the floor they should instead think about how to modernise the bus station and use it as a catalyst for investment at that end of the city centre.
Herbert Birdsfoot
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:20 AMMy money is on Ted Robbins as Jesus, crucified at the end for unwittingly publicly tormenting those possessed by demons.
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