By Dennis PotterDirected by Erica WhymanDesigned by Soutra GilmourLighting Design by Charles BalfourMusical Composition by Gilad Atzmon
Son of Man rehearsal diaries
"A Day in the Life" - Kester Thompson's diary of life during the Israeli/Lebanese Conflict
An epic story in an epic space. Dennis Potter’s Son of Man is the story of Jesus from his 39th day in the desert through to his crucifixion.
Son of Man is thought provoking and radical. Potter’s script takes audiences on a great journey. From heretic and liar to hero and leader, the transformation of Jesus from obscurity to icon is laid bare for audiences. A brick strewn stage invites audiences to imagine the foundation of empire, world religion and the dramatic re-modelling of the theatre to create the Epic Stage.
“This is a play I have wanted to direct for many years, as it speaks of our timeless need for heroes, our essential vulnerability and the shocking cruelty of ordinary people. It is a deeply moving play, written when the old Newcastle Playhouse was being built, and almost more powerful and pertinent today as it was then.” Said Erica Whyman, who is directing the show. Originally written in 1969 as a Wednesday Play, both the play and Northern Stage are 36 years old. Potter’s Son of Man shows us a war torn Israel, further crushed by a corrupt occupying army. Over 30 years after its first broadcast, Son of Man remains starkly pertinent. When Pontius Pilate speaks of the “difficult task of making citizens instead of corpses”, he could be speaking of a post-war Iraq.
Son of Man challenges many traditional Christian ideas. Potter’s Jesus rails against all wars, all prisons, all exploitation, all discrimination; he struggles to pray for his enemies and to love his persecutors. Son of Man shows us a man, not a Messiah.
On stage workshops Tue 19 & Wed 20 Sept 2pm-5pm £10 includes workshop and ticket for Son of Man. Recommended for students 16+
Designing for the new Northern Stage Thurs 14 Sept 2pm-4pm Masterclass with Neil Murray and Soutra Gilmour. FREE with ticket for Son of Man.
Take PartWed 20 Sept at 6.30pm Pre-show and post show discussions following the performance. FREE with ticket to the show.
Thurs 21 Sept at 1pm Director’s pre-show talk and post show talk with members of the Son of Man company. FREE with ticket to 2pm show
A typical day
18 months ago, Kester Thompson moved to Israel in order to open a beautiful new bar. He found himself at the heart of the Israeli/Lebanese conflict.
You can read his diary here.
In our Epic Stage we've created a really simple pricing policy. You'll pay £20, £15 or for a lucky few there are £5 tickets on sale. We also offer a £5 reduction on the £20 and £15 tickets for those of you entitled to a concession.
Fri 8 - Sat 23 September 2006 at 7.30pm (excl. Sundays & Mondays)Thu 21 September 2006 at 2pm