Phelim O'Neill 

The Gospel of Us – review

Michael Sheen's secularised Passion play is filmed by Dave McKean as a bold cinematic documentation of the theatrical event, writes Phelim O'Neill
  
  

The Gospel of Us - Michael Sheen
Passion in Port Talbot ... Michael Sheen in The Gospel of Us. Photograph: Soda Films Photograph: Soda Films/PR

Passion plays are like Titanic for Christians: it's a tale they never tire of hearing, despite knowing how it ends. Sheen's secularised approach (his Christ figure is referred to as the Teacher) was spread over several days at venues in and around Port Talbot, an impressive theatrical undertaking that deserved to be recorded for posterity. Dave McKean's film is a stylised documentation of the event, a bold attempt to turn it into something more cinematic. He keeps things visually interesting and exciting, overlaying images and using the occasional separately filmed segment. For the most part it works well, although having all the dialogue virtually shouted (a necessity in outdoor theatre) doesn't help.

 

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