Chit Chat - Virgin on the ridiculous

Published Monday 16 June 2008 at 16:25 by Tabard

It’s just strange enough to be true.

This week, The Vatican is following Andrew Lloyd Webber’s lead and staging a musical about the life of one of Christianity’s key figures.

Nope, not Jesus - bit too risque, that - but the Virgin Mary.

Mary of Nazareth - A Story That Continues (for this, read a story that is far too long - in fact, it wouldn’t have made a bad subtitle for Gone with the Wind) played this Tuesday in The Vatican’s Paul IV Hall.

Written and directed by Maria (a coincidence? I think not) Pia Lotta, it features 40 actors, 12 ballet dancers, an orchestra, three wise men, a donkey, some sheep and an ox. Okay, well maybe not the last few.

It sounds like a real rip-roaring, foot-tapper of a show, as Archbishop Claudio Celli explained to local press, “We are all aware that Mary is known for her role in the life of Christ the Lord and in the life of the church, but it pleases me to highlight how she has presented and communicated to us the Word of God made flesh among men. That is why I like the title of this work, A Story that Continues.”

The show tells the story of Mary as daughter, spouse and mother. Although its creators assure us it will avoid misinterpreting scripture, but will still exercise “some poetic license”. A careful balancing act needed here, we think, with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Pope’s secretary of state, and the Pontifical Councils of Culture and Social Communications sponsoring the show.

No details of a West End transfer have yet been announced.