Review by Christopher Crowley.
This has been quite a week for martyrs.
First up came SS Julius and Aaron: then St Alban, St John Fisher and Thomas More: and then, of course: St John the Baptist.
That’s two Welshmen, two Englishmen, a Roman and a Palestinian. All six share common characteristics. They were inordinately courageous, highly principled: and addicted to the Christian Truth. And all six died brutally at the hands of people who feared their Christian Faith.
It was significant that the first night of the St Albans Players’ production of ‘Upon the Hill: The Martyrdom of St Alban’ was performed on the feast day of the formidable, visionary Christian martyrs, Saint Thomas More and St John Fisher.
St Alban’s story is remarkable: it’s almost impossible to believe that a Roman could turn to Christianity at such a turbulent time when being a Roman offered you wealth, security and status: and being a Christian offered the prospect of persecution and a grisly death. It’s a high-octane, compulsive Road to Damascus conversion story.
Adam Foster’s thoughtful, intelligent script explores what we know about St Alban and raises robust questions about the nature of Martyrdom and its link to Faith, sacramental life and Grace.
Foster also plays the central role of Alban with a ferocious intensity as he evolves from full-time orthodox Roman to committed Christian and onwards to martyrdom and all that went with it. It was a role that demanded authenticity and a sense of inner conflict and turmoil, and Foster’s measured, assured performance was compelling and convincing.
The cast is consistently good: Brother Illtyd adds humour and a light touch as an Everyman figure: Vlad Floretin is persuasive as a gentle Amphibalus: Christopher Maxwell‘s Loukious is conflicted by uncertainty and Alban’s conversion: and the excellent Peter Walters adds considerable depth and insight to the role of Saturninus, as dubious a Roman who ever lived.
The play races along at a rate of knots to a riveting and dramatic denouement that speaks of courage, the miraculous, and the transformational.
Every parishioner of St Albans should see this play which celebrates, explains and reveals the life and martyrdom of their astonishing Saint.
It’s a hard-to-fathom story about a remarkable man. We have much to learn from St Alban and his powerful Faith, and “ Upon the Hill” does his faith-journey great justice in this moving and revealing production which makes full and creative use of the intimate and atmospheric performing space at St Alban’s Hall.
It’s hoped that this is the first of many productions from the St Albans Players, who clearly have the technical expertise and know-how to bring to life Catholic stories of Faith, endeavour and commitment. These stories have been missing for far too long. They should be brought back centre stage, where they rightfully belong.
Tickets available at the door or online.