Friday 14th October 2022, 7.30-10pm 

Students are invited to 'The Rough Mark' Premiere, Starring JUSTIN BUTCHER as ‘Mark the Narrator’ and ANDY HARRISON as ‘All the Other Voices’, with author RICHARD BURRIDGE reading the words of Jesus. 

St Luke’s Church is glad and honoured to host the London première with the first live performance of the whole of the Gospel According to St Mark in a new translation by the respected biblical scholar, the Rev’d Canon Professor Richard Burridge. It will also be simultaneously live-streamed online to encourage a wider, even international, audience. Richard has been translating gospel passages for his own prayer reflections since a 35-day silent Jesuit retreat at the home of St Ignatius in Loyola in the Basque country within Spain in 2019, and he has now finished Mark and Matthew’s gospels, with Luke and John still to go. . . .! Richard’s solo performances of various sections of Mark to other New Testament scholars have already been received with acclaim.

With first-century literacy rates at only around 10-15% of people being able to read and write, ancient texts were received by hearers through the ears by being read out loud or even performed, rather than through the eyes as in the modern habit of silent reading. Ancient texts were written on 35-feet long scrolls, one of which could be recited in a single evening, rather than today’s habit of hearing or studying small passages of a single story on our own.

Location: St Luke’s Church, West Holloway, London

Doors open at 7pm with informal bar available. Live tickets in advance/at the door £10 (£7.50 concessions), to cover production and performance costs with profits going to St Luke’s Church. 

To reserve a seat with advance card payment please email treasurer@saintlukeschurch.org.uk 

Any questions, or for further details, and for log-in details for the online live-stream (also online donations welcome of at least £5), please email richard.burridge@manchester.ac.uk