8 September 2006 - 23 September, 2006
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.
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.