Just looking at the title - Donald Macdonald's The Gospel of St John at St John's Church - seems a tad repetitive and yet appropriate at the same time. There's torrential rain throughout Edinburgh and with the horrendous weather we were at first surprised to find a packed house. But our surprise quickly evaporated - Macdonald's play delivers in spades. St John's majestic poetry launches the scene "In the beginning was the Word," and although we were at a Church, only momentarily was I conscious of the locale. Within minutes, Macdonald and his audience have become almost absorbed into the story and the pace of the piece remained almost relentless. From the drama of St John the Baptist to Jesus changing water into wine, to the multiplication of the loaves, miracle follows miracle and parable follows parable. This is certainly more theatre than Bible study. And yet Macdonald's only words are those of the Gospel. With a simple black costume, a table and two chairs the set is minimalist though the canvas vast. Macdonald's storytelling creates visual images that are genuinely powerful and memorable and the continuity of the piece provides a chance to listen to the entire Gospel in a single sitting. Incredibly, the second half picks up even more pace and yet not a word is lost. As the crowds begin to surround Jesus, his inevitable death becomes the focus, and the narrative slows to a more reflective pace only during the Last Supper. Crucifixion leads to Resurrection and within 90 minutes the play is finished. I'm left comprehending a few things - principally, the incredible drama of the Gospel story and how Macdonald managed to learn it in its entirety as well as make it captivating throughout. But I wonder whether I might have enjoyed it even more if I didn't know the Gospel narrative and was hearing the story for the first time. So it's undoubtedly inspiring for Christians but don't be surprised if the play develops a broader audience - it certainly deserves it.

Reviewer:
Tony Smith