Malvern Youth Ministry teacher speaks of the 'big undertaking' of playing Jesus in Worcester's Good Friday Passion Play - The Malvern Observer

Malvern Youth Ministry teacher speaks of the 'big undertaking' of playing Jesus in Worcester's Good Friday Passion Play

Malvern Editorial 15th Apr, 2022 Updated: 17th Apr, 2022   0

A MALVERN Youth Ministry teacher starred in the spell-binding performance of Worcester Passion Play’s re-enactment of the crucifixion today (Good Friday).

Picture by Ryan Smith. s

Ollie Ward works at Regents Theological College, teaching youth workers how to engage with young people around faith.

He also teaches a performing arts course at the college and attends St John’s Church.

The play featured a retelling of the last supper, Judas betrayal and the resurrection on Easter Sunday.




The cast were kitted out in authentic attire from the era, and props included Roman spears and soldiers on horseback.

He said: “The main challenge is to get together such a big cast.


“Very few of us are professional actors – three of them had done training at Malvern’s Regents college but the majority had never even been on stage before and we’re all working other jobs.”

Picture by Ryan Smith. s

The ambitious play featured Jesus being tied to a 15ft cross by rope.

Ollie added: “It was a very challenging moment. I was very nervous, partly because we couldn’t rehearse it until this morning.

“The scale of it was quite a big undertaking for us all.”

This performance was third time lucky for the cast after the 2020 and 2021 passion plays were axed due to the pandemic.

The cast shone in the scorching sun at the cathedral square as a packed crowd revelled in the performance, with some standing on top of of the Edward Elgar statue to catch a glimpse.

Picture by Ryan Smith. s

The crowd overwhelmingly responded positively when asked over the microphone if they wanted the passion play to become an annual event.

The committee are currently planning for next years performance and are looking into ways to raise funds.

However, Ollie himself is unsure whether he’ll be reprising his role when the show does return, although he is open to playing the part again.

Click here https://www.gofundme.com/f/worcester-passion-play-ltd to donate to the Passion Play on Good Friday 2023.

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