Mark I
Reviewed by Dan Otis Smith
The vibe is scriptural.
In a performance he introduced as akin to an investigative journalist’s take on scripture, Tom Bates provides a spirited one-man rendition of approximately the first half of the Gospel of Mark over the course of about an hour, delivered in accessible, modern vernacular. Bates uses energetic gesticulation and occasional, lighthearted humour to keep the narrative moving.
Those who are relatively new to much of the biblical story of Jesus Christ may derive the most from this show, and could, after attending, find themselves turning to the text to deepen their familiarity.
Seasoned scholars of the Bible, meanwhile, seem unlikely to be surprised but will find interest in dissecting Bates’s various choices with respect to emotional emphasis, interpretation, and translation into more or less everyday English of the year 2025.
All comers will appreciate Bates’s stamina in delivering this story with unextinguishable vitality, and in seemingly little more than one breath!
Event Details
Kids Under 12: $5
Kids Under 2: FREE!
Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)
Genre: Storytelling/Solo Show
Run Time: 55 mins
Venue: The Gasworks
Producer/Actor
Tom Bates
Photos
Stoo Metz and Matthew Matheson
No.
Warnings