PRESS RELEASE: Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2004 ============================================= ============================================= George Dillon's Vital Theatre The Gospel of Matthew ------------------------------ assembly04 @ St. George's West ------------------------------ 4 pm (ends 5.30) 6 - 30 August Box Office: 0131 226 2428 ============================================= ============================================= 70 AD ... Jews resist occupation ... Romans sack Jerusalem ... Temple destroyed... a million Jews killed ... The Gospel of Matthew is written ... 2001 ... Twin Towers destroyed ... two 'Christian’ leaders plot to invade Iraq... When a superpower uses force against a religiously-motivated enemy, who wins? "Don't think I came to bring peace to the world!" THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW, traditionally considered the earliest account of the life and teachings of Jesus, is as relevant, as inspiring and as terrifying today as when it was written. George Dillon delivers his own translation with original music and video in a powerful solo performance which has been acclaimed by audiences and critics from all sides of the faith divide. Last year he was nominated for The Stage 'Best Actor' Award. Inspired by an encounter with Bob Geldof at Euston Station and created in response to 9/11 and its aftermath, Dillon's vision of Jesus is no meek and mild lamb-to-the slaughter but a raging freedom fighter for God. After an extract was featured on BBC's Songs of Praise from Edinburgh last year, the whole performance was filmed to be broadcast (in Scotland) as two episodes of Grampian's Sunday Service program on 11th & 18th July. This will be George Dillon's 14th Fringe since his first (as a student) in 1982. For his solo work he has won a Herald Angel and been nominated for The Independent Theatre Award and twice for The Stage Best Actor Award. ============================================= ============================================= Online Links: This press release (in Adobe Acrobat, HTML & other formats) http://www.georgedillon.com/theatre/the_gospel_of_matthew_press.shtml Images (suitable for publication) http://www.georgedillon.com/theatre/the_gospel_of_matthew_images.shtml Video (2 minutes from the Tern TV film): http://www.georgedillon.com/theatre/the_gospel_of_matthew_video.shtml Past reviews: http://www.georgedillon.com/theatre/the_gospel_of_matthew_reviews.shtml ============================================= ============================================= Press Contacts: George Dillon 0771 982 0952 assembly04 @ georgedillon.com & (from early July) Wendy Niblock, Press for Assembly @ St George's West 07961 814834 wendyniblock @ metronet.co.uk ============================================= ============================================= Listings: George Dillon's Vital Theatre presents The Gospel of Matthew Award-winning actor George Dillon in acclaimed passionate solo performance of the first Gospel with music and video. 'A mesmerising one-man show of sheer brilliance' The Argus 6 - 30 Aug [not 17 Aug] 4 pm - 5.30 pm Assembly @ St George's West Church, Venue 157, 58 Shandwick Place, Edinburgh Festival Fringe £10 (£9) Mon - Thu, £11 (£10) Fri - Sun Venue Box Office: 0131 226 2428 Fringe Box Office: 0131 226 0000 ================================ ================================ PAST REVIEWS "Dillon has taken the intense drama of the Gospel, maximised the emotional impact, pumped up the intensity and created a mesmerizing one-man show of sheer brilliance." THE ARGUS "The radical message of loving one's enemies has never sounded so revolutionary, straightforward, obvious and utterly sensible. Dillon's version of the Gospel is about a million miles away from dreary sermonising, happy-clappy evangelising or shallow, Lloyd-Webber extravaganza. Though a wealth of sound, light and video is lavished on us, this is no sentimental spectacle. The experience is pure and cerebral, moving the spirit via the brain as well as the heart and senses." THE SCOTSMAN "There is certainly no ignoring George Dillon and his epic, impassioned telling of Matthew's gospel. Dressed like a prophet himself, he lends his account a visceral, biting, colloquial power that is at times quite stunning. It is a blessed relief to have something religious on the fringe which is neither mindlessly evangelical nor trite about the subject.." THE STAGE "Don't be put off by the religious subject-matter. If anything, his is more a political play than any sort of Christian preaching - to look at the story of Christ objectively and realise how shocking his words must have been at the time was something of an eye-opener (and this is from a complete non-Christian)." EDFRINGE.COM "A very Jewish, very apocalyptic Christ, uncompromising, fiery, ungentle, uncomfortable, severe and challenging." THE HERALD "The Jesus presented here is a terrifying zealot; this is Christianity you wouldn't want to meet on a dark night." EDINBURGHGUIDE.COM "Most unusually for contemporary drama on this theme, Dillon's Gospel of Matthew is wholly authentic to the biblical text. Dillon brings out levels of meaning in Matthew rarely heard in pulpits. His rendering of Jesus's righteous anger is simply shattering." THE BAPTIST TIMES ============================================= =============================================