John Bale was a 15th century English churchman, historian and controversialist, and Bishop of Ossory. He wrote the oldest known historical verse drama in English: Kynge Johan.
“King John” (written circa 1538) marked the shift from the old morality play to the English historical drama, and was a very much a political product of its times. Bale had been a Catholic but with Henry VIII in power, he switched allegiances and railed against Catholicism. “King John” was written to satirise and criticise the Roman Catholic Church.
Returning to St Stephen’s Church after nearly 500 hundred years, John Bale’s inflammatory play about notorious King John was as controversial as ever.
The Cultures of Performance research group workshopped extracts from the original play, bringing it back to life, with suitably atmospheric music and singing.
Architectural projections were used to illustrate how churches used their walls as canvasses to tell stories and influence people.
The performance explored how the play engaged with the parish, Canterbury and Kent as they were in the 1540s and how they are today. It was attended by many in the community, including members and students of Warnborough College. We were enthralled how a play written nearly 500 years ago was still relevant, and beautiful in language, as it was back when it first premiered – and the very questions raised by the play about Catholicism seem relevant against every other religion today.
