ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL; ACTORS PAINTING THEIR FACES WITH A MOSAIC DESIGN FOR TAKING PART IN THE BOOK OF JOB; SCENES INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL; ACTORS IN FULL COSTUME FOR JOB; ACTOR AS ST. PAUL.




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Background: CELEBRATIONS MARKING THE 900TH ANNIVERSARY OF WESTMINSTER ABBEY, IN LONDON, ARE TO INCLUDE PRESENTATIONS OF THE BOOK OF JOB THIS MONTH IN ANGLICAN CATHEDRALS THROUGHOUT BRITAIN BY A GROUP OF ACTORS FROM THE UNITED STATES. CALLED THE EVERYMAN PLAYERS, THE ACTORS OPENED THEIR PRESENTATION OF THE BOOK OF JOB AND A DRAMATISATION OF ROMANS BY ST. PAUL IN ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL, SOUTHWARK, LONDON, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY).

THE DRAMATIC CONCEPT OF THE BOOK OF JOB, FROM THE BIBLE, IS DERIVED FROM THE ANCIENT GREEK EXAMPLE OF USING A CHORUS OF ACTORS AS COUNTER-WEIGHT TO THE "GREAT PROTAGONIST" -- IN THIS CASE JOB -- IN THEIR PLAYS. THE ACTORS WEAR ELABORATE FLOWING ROBES AND PAINT THEIR FACES WITH A MOSAIC DESIGN TO HEIGHTEN THE EFFECT.

IN THE BIBLE, JOB WAS THE RIGHTEOUS MAN OF GOD, WHOSE LOYALTY GOD ALLOWED SATAN THE EVIL ONE TO TEST. SATAN IS PERMITTED TO TAKE AWAY JOB'S WEALTH, KILL HIS CHILDREN AND DESTROY HIS HEALTH. JOB, GOADED BY HIS FRIENDS, QUESTIONS GOD'S JUSTICE, BUT IS FINALLY GIVEN BACK HIS FAMILY, WEALTH AND HEALTH AFTER REPENTING.

THE EVERYMAN PLAYERS COMPANY WAS CREATED IN 1959 IN THE UNITED STATES MAINLY TO TRANSLATE BIBLICAL AND OTHER SPIRITUAL SUBJECTS INTO THEATRE PRODUCTIONS. THE IMPACT OF THEIR PRODUCTION OF THE BOOK OF JOB IS ASSISTED BY THE USE OF SPECIAL LIGHTING EFFECTS, COSTUME, FACE MAKE-UP, AND BACKGROUND.