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Press Reviews of the 2004 Production

Cotswold Journal

FOUR years ago the people of Blockley staged a Medieval Mystery Play to celebrate the Millennium. On that occasion the plays were performed inside the village church and focused on New Testament stories, leading up to the Crucifixion.

Now, four years on residents of the village and the surrounding area, are performing a `prequel" on the village green, acting out Old Testament stories, including Adam and Eve and Noah's Ark.

It is a strikingly beautiful setting, with a clever use of the natural slope to convey heaven above - ingenious use of the children's climbing frame - and earth and hell below.

The sets and costumes designed by Ebrington villager Dora Leonard are rich and beautiful and the cast - young and old - is excellent throughout. Dick Robinson looks the part as Lucifer and Tom Robinson is a commanding voice of God. Don Jowett as Beelzebub and Anne Tweedale as Noah's Wife provide great comic relief. It's a wonderful production, which is really worth seeing.

Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE
Date of Release: 16/04/2004
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Gospel In The Cotswolds
Box Office Opens Sat 1st May

On Saturday 1st May the box office for the Gospel In The Cotswolds Concert in Blockley will officially open.

The outdoor concert on Sat 19th June at 14.30 is being staged as part of the festival of celebrations surrounding the production of the Blockley Millennium Mystery Plays. The Internationally renowned Croydon SDA Gospel Choir will be leading the concert of Gospel classics and will be joined on stage by the Blockley Church and Ladies choirs and local performers such as Anna Stamp.

The choir agreed to travel from London to perform in the festival after working on Eastenders with the director of the Mystery Plays, Chris Jury, who also directed Little Mo and Billy’s Eastenders wedding on Christmas day 2002 in which the Choir were heavily featured.

“I had been aware of the Croydon Choir for some years,” Said Chris Jury, “I had one of their albums and when the Eastenders story came up I knew they were perfect for it. Afterwards talking to the Choirmaster, Ken Burton, I realised we had to get them to come to the Cotswolds and the Mystery Plays were the perfect opportunity.”

“They really are one of UK’s top 5 leading Gospel Choirs and we are very lucky to have them. Anyone who loves Gospel music or is just curious as to what it is should come along. It really is going to be a truly unique and I think moving event.”

Tickets for the concert are £10 with concessions at £6 (Concessions apply to State Pensioners, Registered Disabled, full-time students and children under 15).
Tickets will be available from Blockley Post Office; Murray's Coffee Shop, Blockley; The Great Western & The Crown Inn, Blockley; Pet Necessities, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh; Draycott Books, Sheep Street, Chipping Campden; Shipston Dental Practice, 19 Sheep Street, Shipston; Or from the Website at www.mysteryplays.org - or by calling the Box Office on 01386 701033 or 01386 700395.

The original 'Blockley Millennium Mystery Play’ was a community production of the New Testament plays staged by a cast and crew of local Blockley residents to mark the turn of the Millennium. This time round the production of the Old Testament plays are taking place outside in Blockley’s Churchill Close Park. The audience will sit on the ground on the grass banks between the two stages.

NOTE TO EDITORS:
PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS JURY ON
Tel: 01386 700468. Fax: 01386 701270. Mobile: 07850 651803
E-Mail: chris@mysteryplays.org

PRESS RELEASE
Date of Release: 16/04/2004
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Blockley Mystery Play Box Office Opens Sat 24th April

On Saturday 24th April the box office for the Blockley Millenium Mystery Plays 2004 will officially open and the scramble for tickets will begin.

The ambitious outdoor production of the Old Testament Mystery Plays opens with a Preview on Tuesday 15th June then four performances on Wed 16th, Thurs 17th, Fri 18th and Sat 19th. Tickets for the Preview are at a discounted price of £7 and concessions at £3.50 (Concessions apply to State Pensioners, Registered Disabled, full-time students and children under 15). Tickets for the full performances are £10 with concessions at £6.
Tickets will be available from Blockley Post Office; Murray's Coffee Shop, Blockley; The Great Western & The Crown Inn, Blockley; Pet Necessities, High Street, Moreton-in-Marsh; Draycott Books, Sheep Street, Chipping Campden; Shipston Dental Practice, 19 Sheep Street, Shipston;Or from the Website at www.mysteryplays.org - Or by calling the Box Office on 01386 701033 or 01386 700395.

The original 'Blockley Millennium Mystery Play’ was a community production of the New Testament plays staged by a cast and crew of local Blockley residents to mark the turn of the Millennium. This time round the production of the Old Testament plays are taking place outside in Blockley’s Churchill Close Park. The audience will sit on the on the ground on the grass banks between the two stages. A ‘festival’ of village events will take place throughout the week of the production culminating on the Saturday afternoon with a concert by The Croydon SDA Gospel choir, one of the leading Gospel Choirs in the UK, which will be followed by the final performance of the Mystery Plays in the evening.
“The rehearsals started at the end of February and are going really well, the set has been designed & is being built and the costumes are being made…it really is very exciting.” Said Chris Jury. “This is going to be one of the most extraordinary events in the Cotswold calendar this year - An outdoor production with a great mythical story, professional production values and a strong community spirit - it really shouldn’t be missed.”
Further details can be obtained from: Blockley Mystery Plays Ltd, Vine House, High Street, Blockley, Gloucestershire GL56 9ET. Or from our website: www.mysteryplays.org .

NOTE TO EDITORS:
PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS JURY ON
Tel: 01386 700468. Fax: 01386 701270. Mobile: 07850 651803
E-Mail: chris@mysteryplays.org

PRESS RELEASE
Date of Release: 16/06/2003
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JESUS, MARY, JOSEPH & DONKEY LEAD SPONSORED WALK IN BLOCKLEY

A fundraising sponsored walk in aid of the new production of The Blockley Millennium Mystery Plays will be led by actors Paul Cody, Don Jowett and Anna Stamp who played Jesus, Mary & Joseph in the original production. Molly the donkey will add a further touch of authenticity as the trio, in costume, lead the sponsored walkers through the village on Saturday 28th June at 2.00 pm.

The original 'Blockley Millennium Mystery Play’ was a community production staged by a cast and crew of local Blockley residents to mark the turn of the Millennium. “It was a huge success both financially, raising over £1000 for the church roof fund, and emotionally generating the sort of community spirit that is rare in this day and age and which was a privilege to be a part of.” said the Mystery Play’s Producer and Director, Chris Jury, who is today a TV director but is best known to the public as Eric Catchpole from the BBC’s antique favourite, Lovejoy.

“The 1999 production told the story of the New Testament so now we are going to do the Old Testament.” said Chris. “A wonderful script has been written by local resident, Don Jowett, and the organising committee has been meeting regularly since February. The Sponsored Walk is the first of a whole season of fund raising events we have planned.” he continued.

This time round the performances are taking place outside in Blockley’s Churchill Close Park. An auditorium will be created in the corner of Churchill Close below the children’s play area. A scaffolding stage will be build at the bottom of this natural amphitheatre with the wooden climbing frame platform being used as a second stage area above. The audience will sit on the grass banks between the two stages. There will be 5 performances from Tue 15th June until Sat 19th June 2004.

This outside location at the heart of the village has inspired a surrounding ‘festival’ of village events throughout the week of the production culminating on the Saturday afternoon with a concert by The Croydon SDA Gospel choir, one of the leading Gospel Choirs in the UK, which will be followed by the final performance of the Mystery Plays in the evening.

“The entire community of Blockley is involved.” said Chris. “The Bowling Club is helping with bar and toilet facilities, the Parish Council is supporting us, the May Day Celebrations committee have taken over the running of the festival. And we are going to need all the help we can get because this is a huge venture we are embarking on.” he warned. “The current budget is well over £10,000 and we will need every bit of financial help we can get. The sponsored walk on Saturday 28th June 2003 is just the first of a programme of fundraising events but we will also need grants from charitable institutions and donations from the public to make this work. But last time no one really knew if we could do it, the fabulous reaction of press and public last time proved we could and I am confident that we can it do it again.”

Anyone interested in taking part in the production as cast or crew or in making a donation should make contact via the Mystery Play website at www.mysteryplays.org or by writing to:
Blockley Millennium Mystery Plays, Fulbrook Cottage, Brook Lane, Blockley, Glos. GL56 9HR.
END

NOTE TO EDITORS:
PLEASE CONTACT CHRIS JURY ON
Tel: 01386 700468. Fax: 01386 701270. Mobile: 07850 651803
E-Mail: chris@mysteryplays.org

Press Reviews of the 1999 Production

Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Standard

Actors Were Professional

THIS triumphant new version of the medieval Coventry Mystery Plays was as professional as any amateur production can be, ensuring that Blockley left the old Millennium in spectacular fashion.

Lighting, sound, costumes, props, medieval style musical accompaniment and stage management were all up to professional standards.

At least three of the actors had professional experience, while their amateur colleagues had clearly received professional tuition, judging by the way they projected themselves.

Such professionalism was unsurprising because the director was Chris Jury - alias Eric Catchpole of Lovejoy - who kept a watchful eye from the top of the towering lighting rig.

Having to turn to follow the action, as it switched between stages on three sides of the room, ingeniously made the capacity audience feel involved in the play, which told Christ's story from the Nativity to the Ascension.

A suitably charismatic performance was given by Paul Cody, who, with his long hair and beard, looked unnervingly like the popular image of Christ.
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Anna Stamp gave a performance of tender substance as the Virgin Mary, while the most show-stopping contributions came from Clive Billing as the First King, Annas and The Devil.

Other notable performances came from Robert Dennis as Herod and Pontius Pilot, Bryan Oliver as Captain of the Guard and young Hannah Brown as the Angel Gabriel.

One word will be forever associated with this production - professionalism.
Simon Crump

Stratford upon Avon Herald

A village that is bursting with talent

ONE of the artistic highlights of the millennium celebrations must have been Blockley's portrayal of the Mystery Plays.

The Picturesque church in the village was transformed into a theatre set by the removal of pews to create an open area for the three promenade style performances.

The production was the result of an idea by director and Blockley resident Chris Jury, best known for his portrayal of Eric Catchpole in BBC's Lovejoy, who described it as a community play.

"If there is ever a time to tell the story of the life of Christ from the Nativity to the Resurrection, it couldn't he better than between Christmas and the start of the third millennium of Christianity" said Mr Jury.

"We have been amazed at the wealth of talent that exists right within this village. The production developed into something very special thanks to the expertise of residents with specialist skills in theatre lighting, stage management and sound design for example.

"Even our choreographer who lives locally taught Arnold Schwarzenegger to tango in True Lies!"