The Man Born To Be King

Summary

Dorothy L. Sayers' classic play cycle based on the life and times of Jesus

Dorothy L. Sayers was best known for her mystery novels featuring aristocratic amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. But she was also a poet, playwright and committed Christian, and in The Man Born to Be King she combined art and evangelism to powerful effect, making the story of Christ accessible, relevant and every bit as thrilling as her detective fiction.

Written specially for the BBC Radio, the play cycle caused huge controversy for its depiction of Christ as a character, and its use of contemporary speech instead of Biblical language. However it proved extremely popular with listeners, who wrote in to thank Sayers for making Jesus real to them and reigniting their interest in his remarkable story.

Based on the four Gospels, it includes one story of the Nativity, six plays about Jesus' life and ministry, and five Passion Plays telling of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, Jesus' arrest and trial before Pontius Pilate, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Backed up with a sweeping musical score, these immersive dramas surprise and shock us anew and provide fresh, illuminating insight into 'the greatest story ever told'.

The plays included are Kings in Judea, The King's Herald, A Certain Nobleman, The Heirs to the Kingdom, The Bread of Heaven, The Feast of Tabernacles, The Light and The Life, Royal Progress, The King's Supper, The Princes of This World, King of Sorrows and The King Comes to His Own.

Cast and credits
Written by Dorothy L Sayers
Adapted by/Producer: Raymond Raikes
The Evangelist (John Bar-Zebedee): Gabriel Woolf
Jesus: John Westbrook
Joseph/ Jacob Ben-Issachar: Norman Shelley
Simon Bar-Jonah (Simon Peter): Stephen Jack
Judas Iscariot: Alan Wheatley
Matthew: Nigel Stock
Herod The Great: Robert Eddison
Nicodemus: John Wyse
Ephraim: Denys Blakelock
Shadrach: Malcolm Hayes
Rabbit Solomon: John Gabriel
Phoebe: Caroline Monkhouse
Flavius: Trader Faulkner
Calpurnia: Penelope Lee
Mary Virgin: June Tobin
Mary Magdalen: Mary Wimbush
Martha: Marjorie Westbury
Lazarus: Richard Hurndall
Benjamin Ben-Hadad: Ralph Truman
Joseph, kinsman to Jesus: Haydn Jones
Simeon, kinsman to Jesus: Wilfrid Carter
Baruch the Zealot: Francis de Wolff
Baruch's Wife: Vivienne Chatterton
Gestas: John Laurie
Dysmas: Russell Napier
Simon of Cyrene: Rodney Dias
Proclus, a Roman Centurion: Trevor Martin
Roman soldier: Bruce Beeby
Roman soldier: Harvey Hall
Joseph of Arimathea: Howieson Culff
Calaphas, High Priest of Israel: Heron Carvic
Salome, mother to James and John: Henzie Raeburn
Mary Cleophas: Molly Rankin
Balthazar, King of Ethiopia: Paul Danqdah
Melchior/ A Zealot: Michael Kilgarriff
Casper: James Dale
Philip: Rolf Lefebvre
Thomas Didymus/ Father: Philip Leaver
Mother: Wynne Clark
Miriam, child: Elizabeth Proud
Isaac, child/a slave boy: Daniel Rose
Hannah: Hester Paton-Brown
James Bar-Zebedee: John Glen
Andrew Bar-Jonah: John Boxer
Hezekiah, secretary/ Roman Soldier: John Baker
Annas, father-in-law to Caiaphas: Edward Atienza
Pontius Pilate, Governor of Judaea: Alec Clunes
Claudia Procula: Mary Law
Captain Elihu: Keith Alexander
Eunice, a Syro-Phoenician: Elizabeth Morgan
Cleophas: Harry Hutchinson
Portress at the High Priest's House: Miriam Margolyes
Zillah, her daughter: Jo Manning-Wilson
Issacher, servant: Hugh Dickson
Susannah, mother to the Bride groom: Betty Baskcomb
Rebecca, friend to Susannah: Gladys Spencer/ Janet Burnell
Other cast: Ian Frost, Janette Richer, Nan Marriott-Watson, Janette Richer, Peter Marinker, Raf de la Torre, James Thomason, John Forrest, Michael Goldie
First broadcast BBC Home Service 19th, 26th Jan, 2nd, 9th , 16th, 23rd Feb, 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd, 28th, 30th March 1975
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