Newsletter no.4, 8th September 1998

This newsletter is a little rushed, because we start another run of "Saints Alive" this weekend, and I’ve just returned from my holiday. Things are necessarily getting hectic. If I leave out any important information, I’ll try to correct it in the next newsletter. Feedback, enquiries and complaints – all welcome!

First, a summary on "Jairus’ Daughter".

This went very well, eventually. This was my first attempt at the role of producer, so I think I was too busy to enjoy the rehearsals and preparations properly. I’m told that’s normal : one definition of a producer is "the drama member with the grey hair and the panicky expression".

One of the most "interesting" problems was that of creating a full cast of four narrators. This has highlighted something I said in the last newsletter : that the effort involved prevents many potential members from taking part. Eventually we were lucky to find Margaret Keane, from St. Peters, Yateley. She agreed to take on the part of Narrator 2 at "the eleventh hour", and was an excellent addition to the cast .. thanks Margaret, I hope you can stay with us as a member of Revelation and join in many more productions! Unfortunately, Margaret was unable to take part in the first performance (due to commitments) so on that night we used a hastily re-written script for three narrators – this obviously involved learning two versions of the lines and moves. My greatest nightmare was that I was going to say one of Margaret’s lines for her! Luckily that did not happen, and both performances went well.

There are several tales I could tell (in detail) of the performances themselves, but I’ll stick to three important summaries.

• One young woman at Bracknell Methodist "conned" her boyfriend to attend the first performance, as it "was only a play, not a service". I heard he was favourably impressed by the presentation, much to her delight. I have no idea whether this will lead to his conversion, ultimately. The important point here is that Revelation has the potential to reach out to the "un-churched", even if they initially regard what we do as "entertainment". Reaching out to the "un-churched" is not just something we’ll attempt "one day in the future". It is happening now. (End of soap box).
• After the second performance, a middle aged man told Jacki Thomas with joy that he had learned more about the Christian faith in that evening than in many years of church worship. I don’t think he intended any slur against his church (whichever it is); the point is that Revelation is making the Gospels alive and relevant to today’s congregations. So, well done folks! – we are achieving our mission objectives.
• Finally, a tale that brought a lump to many throats that evening. We met a young girl who was attending with her foster mother. Several of us noticed how much support she needed during the first part of the performance. A victim of abuse, she was very shy - apparently almost to the point of autistic silence. After the performance the girl amazed her foster mother by her changed behaviour. She sought out Dennis Wildman to inform him that his singing of the part of Jesus had reached out to her and inspired her. She now wanted to become a Christian herself. All of us who heard this were deeply affected – especially Dennis!

So, a final thanks to all who took part. Especial thanks to

• Stephen Hunt, our long suffering director
• The cast : (in order) Margaret Keane, Dianne Clemison, and Jill Parker.
• The members of the Dance Worship group of St. Peter's, Yateley

Now on to "Saints Alive".

We first performed this last year. For the history buffs, the background is this :

So, now you’ll understand that I have quite a "soft spot" for this presentation. For me, it is the equivalent of a theme tune for Revelation.

This production of "Saint’s Alive" gives Revelation the opportunity to gain experience about performing from an established repertoire. It has been the hope of the committee that "repeat presentations" will take a lot less preparation than that for new material. Now we will find out. In case some of you had wondered, this should explain why …

1. there have been no rehearsals – only the single workshop will be used for preparation, and …
2. … we have tried to use the same cast, children’s dance group, and choir as last time.

However, the real world has other plans! Stephen King is taking a "sabbatical" from Revelation for at least this year, and Pamela Hardy has had to pull out – both due to work pressures. Therefore, I have (dictatorially) appointed the new cast as follows …

• TV Presenter – Jenny Brown
• Bishop – Stephen Hunt
• Professor – Peter Phelpes-Jones
• Peter, North Sea Fisherman – me.

Stephen Hunt is busy learning lines & characterisation this week – and I wish him good luck with this.

Jenny (with my undying gratitude) has agreed to step into her part at very short notice, and will read the part from the script. This should work well : the TV Presenter has a clipboard for a prop anyway (containing the script), … and in any case, the actress in this part was also used as an on-stage prompt during the previous production.

I’m sure you’ll join with me in wishing all those who take part good luck, especially Stephen and Jenny, and I ask you to pray that this production will be as good and as effective as its predecessor.

Diary dates for "Saints Alive" are as follows: (note the revised times)

• Sept 13th 12-5pm, Workshop at St. Peter’s church or hall, Cranbourne.
• Sept 13th 6:30pm (cast arrive 4:00), Presentation to Holy Trinity, Sunningdale, with Sunningdale Baptist Church, and Sunninghill Methodist Church

• Sept 20th 6:30pm (cast arrive 4:00), Presentation to Holy Trinity, Bracknell, with Bracknell Methodist Church

Perhaps we’ll see some of you at the presentations?

Further ahead, there is the question of what we’ll be doing at Christmas. I’m sorry to say that there is still no final agreement on that. That’s mostly my fault. Unless I can come with a convincing alternative, you can assume we’ll be doing "Simeon" (another Roger Jones musical).

I don’t have any further news on the plans for next year either. However, Mike Thomas and I have been discussing options for the year 2000 – how about that for forward planning? There are two hot favourites for that year :

• "Snakes and Ladders", by Roger Jones – his latest musical. I understand we’ll be performing this as part of Roger’s national tour to launch the musical – similar to the performance of "Pharisee", mentioned above.
• "Hopes and Dreams", by Rob Frost (and his team). This is a collection of sketches, monologues, poems, and songs, on the theme of Christian revival. It is a celebration of the 2000^th anniversary of the birth of Christ, and looks at the way forward for the Christian faith into the new millennium. It is intended that towns & villages across the land will set up Christian-based millennium celebrations that are based on the themes of the show. For example, I’m supposed to be taking part in a committee soon in Yateley, to plan this very kind of event. Also, visitors to the infamous dome at Greenwich will find Rob Frost’s organisation presenting Hopes & Dreams somewhere around there.

If I were a bookie, I would quote quite short odds on the chances that Revelation will be involved in both productions that year.

Finally (at last!) I have some personal news for you. Some of you have become aware during this last year that I have been leading the Revelation drama group without actually claiming to be a Christian. For many years, I have been labelled "a seeker" and "an adherent". Fair enough – they will do as well as any other label. I have long regarded my self as a supporter of the work of the wider church, without actually being a "paid up" member. Well, in a few weeks I shall become a "paid up member". It has been a long hard slog, my coming around to faith, but it has happened at last. I want to thank all of you that helped me along the path, even if you weren’t aware you were doing so!

Therefore, I want to close this newsletter with the same message from God (thanks to Jill), which I included in the last one. This moving text, plus the experiences gained from "Jairus’ Daughter", has helped me make up my mind, in much the same way that I know that the "Jairus’ Daughter" production has helped others to discover or rediscover their faith.

Yours Faithfully

Douglas Brown

Drama Co-ordinator

PS

If you want to, you’re welcome to attend my membership ceremony (the Methodist equivalent, I think, of confirmation). It should be a simple ceremony, in a normal Sunday morning (10:30) service. Let me know if you wish to come, and I’ll give you the date as soon as I know it myself.

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