Easter premiere for Sheen's Passion
A film version of Michael Sheen’s epic take on the Easter story will today get its premiere in the actor’s home town Port Talbot, Wales.
Last year, the Frost/Nixon star brought the south Wales steel town to a halt with the sprawling play The Passion.
It had a cast of more than 1,000 people and saw 10,000 spectators from across the globe turn up to watch the drama of Jesus’ crucifixion unfold over three days across the small town.
Sheen was inspired to create The Passion, a collaboration between NTW and WildWorks, after watching the traditional Passion Play in Margam Park, while he was growing up.
He collaborated with writer Owen Sheers on the contemporary script which was inspired by the traditional Easter story but set in modern-day Port Talbot.
One year on, the 72 hours worth of action has now been cut down into a feature film – entitled The Gospel Of Us, which be shown for the first time this evening in Port Talbot.
Among those walking down the red carpet outside the Apollo Cinema will be the Hollywood star Sheen himself.
Producer Eryl Huw Phillips, who works for Rondo Media, told the Western Mail the project was ambitious and incredibly challenging.
He said: “We were using cameras that were light and mobile as there were several events to cover over three days. It was a bit like a military operation.
“To attempt what the theatre company attempted was massively ambitious, but to make a film as well was bordering on lunacy. Thankfully it’s a triumph.”
The premiere is due to take place at 7pm today.
