After the extended study-leave/sabbatical study leave last year (2015) of 28 dates in the United States and Canada between April and June, things have gone a bit quiet for me on the Testament of a Naked Man front!  Perhaps, after that extended tour, I needed a sabbatical from the sabbatical!  Certainly I’ve needed time to devote to my “day-job” and other aspects of my ministry.

Since the tour, I have done only one outside date (and one “home” date at St. Francis-in-the-Wood, West Vancouver), and I have led one weekend retreat on the Gospel of John – “Word of Light,” an Advent retreat at Rivendell Retreat Centre on Bowen Island.  In fact, of late I have been doing quite a bit of work on the Gospel of John which I have now learned in its entirety in the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible.  I have been working with Carol Coulson, my “acting coach,” working out how we might present John for dramatic performance.

The challenge we are finding with John’s Gospel is that there is much less narrative than with Mark’s Gospel, and much more dialogue – or, more specifically, monologue, as it involves extended discourses by Jesus.  Obviously, there are the last supper discourses in chapters 13 through 17, but much of the rest of the Gospel also involves Jesus speaking.  For example, much of chapters 5-8 are Jesus in discussion, debate, conflict with others, mainly religious authorities.  So the challenge is, how do we present this material in a way that keeps the attention of the audience?

It is coming together, and hopefully we may be able to present a first public dramatization (by me) of the Gospel of John later this year.  Meanwhile,  I am certainly available for bookings of “Testament of a Naked Man – Good News According to Mark,” and in fact would welcome the opportunity to “keep my hand in,” so to speak!  So, if you are interested in having me come to you, please get in touch with me.