- This event has passed.
Acclaimed One-Man Performance of Mark’s Gospel Comes to St Cyr’s Church, Stonehouse
Acclaimed actor and storyteller Stefan Smart will bring his widely praised one-man play, ‘I AM MARK, to St Cyr’s Church, Stonehouse, at 1pm on Saturday 10 October, giving audiences the chance to experience Mark’s Gospel live, as a compelling spoken drama rather than as words confined to the page.
Following its sell-out premiere at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2019, ‘I AM MARK’ has continued to attract enthusiastic audiences across the UK and abroad. Smart’s solo production is a word-for-word dramatisation of The Gospel According to Mark, presented with the immediacy, pace and humanity of live storytelling.
“Mark’s Gospel has got to be the most exciting book in the whole Bible,” said Stefan Smart. “It is action-packed, fast-paced, intriguing, entertaining, moving and disturbing by turns. Most of all, Mark’s portrait of his enigmatic hero, and his radical life of welcome and inclusivity, continues to fascinate people everywhere, regardless of whether they are religious or not.”
Smart added that audiences do not need prior knowledge of the Bible to be drawn into the story: “If you’re just looking for a great afternoon’s entertainment, St Mark’s got it all, a completely captivating eyewitness account of love, hate, murder and self-sacrifice, laced with humour. It also speaks to themes that are all too recognisable today: human pride, fearful politicians, the betrayal of friends, the fickleness of crowds, and the bystanders who suspect something terrible is happening but are scared to get involved.”
The earliest versions of the production were performed in open-air settings, including public parks and festivals, echoing the tradition of ancient oral storytelling. Over time, the performance has developed into a more theatrical presentation while retaining the directness and energy of a story told live to an audience.
Director Lisa Gilmour said: “This new Mark is more nuanced, cleaner, theatrically thoughtful and altogether more contemplative and profound. You can see the characters in the Bible coming to life before your eyes, feel the wind and smell the salt air, even so far as to sense yourself becoming part of the action. I am sure audiences will enjoy the experience and continue to treasure it long after the event.”
The performance forms part of the Bishop’s Mission Weekend in the Stroudwater Team, entitled Shared Threads: Stories that Weave Us Together. The weekend is shaped around curiosity and invitation, offering a gentle “come and see” approach that creates space for people to hear, share and discover stories of people, places and faith in local communities.
Stefan Smart was a full-time teacher of English and Drama for 35 years before becoming an actor and storyteller. He has staged productions of St Mark’s Gospel at church events, cathedrals, festivals and youth camps throughout England and abroad, appeared on Songs of Praise, and released a film for US global TV network CMaxTV.
Admission is free. Refreshments will be available to purchase before and after the performance and during the interval.
