In honor of the 400th anniversary of the first printing of the King James Version of the Bible, the Bush Theater in London is now producing "Sixty-Six Books" . Their promotion states:
This October, the Bush Theatre will open the doors to its new home with Sixty-Six Books, an epic performance cycle featuring over 200 artists from across the globe.
From all faiths and none, from over a dozen countries and across five continents, sixty-six remarkable playwrights, poets, songwriters and novelists speak to each book of the King James Bible, filling the new Bush Theatre with contemporary responses to some of the greatest stories ever told.
The production begins with "Godblog Twitter Feed" . The author, Jeanetter Winterson" believes God's wisdom will "crackle" for modern audiences as Twitter posts of 140 words or less..."First eviction! Adam and Eve out! Jews homeless till 1948. God-followers down the ages can now land-grab with a clear conscience." or "RIP Sara, kvetchy wife of Abraham. She was the Joan Collins of the Old Testament" But she's just covering Genesis.
Each of the works, which run from a few minutes to 20, is described as a response to a book in the Bible, with no dramaturgical limits placed on the contributors.
Another author chose to respond to II Thessalonians. This 16-page play called, “Falling Away,” is a conversation between a man and a woman who are in love, yet the woman is in a relationship with someone else whom she cannot imagine leaving despite her unhappiness.
The Most Rev. Rowan Williams (Archbishop of Canterbury) has contributed a quietly funny, moving piece on death and grief in response to the Bible's shortest verse--"Jesus wept" (from the Book of John).
All in all it sounds like an interesting opportunity to see others perspective on what the Bible teaches in a very unique way. All the while celebrating the Word of God in print.
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