Matthew, Martha, & Luke

Collaborating with Stories of Old

We collect Christmas stories. It seems every culture and subculture, every language and nation, every style of art and type of poetry is compelled to re-imagine this ancient story of a baby born in a stable. Why? What is so compelling about a few verses of scripture, especially outside of the Christian church? I put this question to Martha Ross, who wrote Theatre Columbus’ The Story - an outdoor walk about show delighting audiences at the Evergreen Brickworks this December.

'This is a story that wanted to be born,’ begins Ross, ‘was it a story invented to be a fable of Christ’s birth? Was it passed down through oral tradition?’ Whatever the answers, Ross can see that this story has taken root in the world. ‘It’s a story we want, a fable about Christ’s birth, the non-king King.’

Years ago, on a Christmas Eve, Ross brought her kids to see a retelling of the nativity story. The performance was a disappointment, and not because it was simple. It had taken away the mystery and depth of the characters, making the whole story smaller. That night, a seed was planted that became The Story. Ross wanted to capture the power and prose of the original story-tellers, to share the vision of Matthew and Luke, while teasing the story with a wild collection of styles and influences. ‘For me,’ she explains, ‘this story is about hunger, about wanting something more.’

The story as told by Matthew and Luke is about a group of people who lived under tyranny; yet their lives were changed by an encounter with the innocent and miraculous — the birth of a child. Ross was drawn to the character’s vulnerability, their humour, and their strength. Employing a whimsical variety of styles, she pulls these characters out of the bible, and on to a modern Canadian stage.

Gabriel informs the style of the piece. Years ago, Ross fell in love with Greek tragedy Messengers - these clowns who make grand entrances, deliver impossible news, and then are shot or forgotten. Ross imagines Gabriel to be a Roberto Benigni character — a beautiful clown messenger, excited, flustered, blown over by impossible news, and so full of love.

Mary and Joseph became classical young lovers, up against impossible odds. Two kids right out of Shakespeare. Ross explains that in the Bible, Joseph is not a young man, he is an established tradesman, probably quiet a bit older than Mary. However, to capture the essence of the story, and the innocence of the couple, Ross wrote him as young and trusting, ultimately a romantic Joseph.

But what to do with the pregnancy? When Ross began to consider Luke’s explanation to Mary, she found herself a little stumped. In the original text, Gabriel announces to Mary that, ‘The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you’. Ross confessed that, besides the obvious sexual humour, it was difficult to bring this to the stage. ‘So, I googled the Holy Spirit - so much fun,’ laughs Ross. What she found was that humanity’s struggle with the ‘Holy Spirit’ has lead to a rich and vast collection of art, prose, and imagery. There are thousands of ways to depict Holy Spirit. Ross kept with what she knew to be true. As a mother, she found pregnancy to be hilarious, baffling and impossible, and gave that experience to her Mary. Ross wonders if Luke or Matthew could have know that no matter the what nature of the child, the pregnancy is always miraculous.

Ending her nativity story leaves Ross with questions. What is this story really about? ‘Maybe it is the birth of peace,’ she wonders, ‘maybe it is being human with other humans under the night sky. Maybe it is that stories never end — there is still so much to happen! One night of peace is all we can manage from time to time’. Ross hopes that the audience will leap out of this show, full of joy, having shared in an ancient story told for a modern time.

By Jenny Salisbury