Churches Together in Epsom produced a dramatization of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection in Epsom on Good Friday.

It was very much a team effort with actors, musicians, technical and staging crew, stewards, wardrobe and administrative support working together from across different denominations in Epsom.

This year the production was directed by Craig Donovan and Jesus was played by Rev’d  Chris Hancock form St Martin’s.
The aim was to bring the narrative alive with dialogue, monologue and song. We met initially at Dulshot Green and then processed to the Market Square.

The trials, Jesus’ prayerful appeal to God, and his subsequent betrayal and arrest were staged. The spectators became the crowd, not a polite Epsom group, but a mob who wanted Jesus’ blood. They called for crucifixion as a response to statements of Jesus that showed a bias to the poor and called for sacrifice.

When Jesus, carrying his cross, and the crowd arrived in the middle of Epsom the crucifixion was represented. The soldiers mocked him, his friends lamented the horror of his fate and the crowd joined in the sorrow in the words of the famous hymn “When I survey.” We represented the burial and resurrection in dialogue between the women at the tomb, Mary Magdalene and Jesus and Mary and Thomas; and Mary’s words at the end “He will accept anyone who will respond to his love, accept his forgiveness” summarise the Easter message of the Christian church.

Members of the Epsom churches joined with Ewell Council of Churches to provide a tent for quiet reflection in the Market Square until 1pm and the cross remained as a symbol of all that had been enacted there. There were hot cross buns as welcome refreshment provided by Epsom Methodist Church.
We were pleased that a large number of people were able to share in the drama and that a good crowd attended in the sunshine. The churches are delighted that we are able to portray this testimony to the events of Good Friday and Easter.

Article supplied by Susan Curtis