Elijah: First Action Hero. A one man Biblical Comic play with Marcus J Freed

Elijah: First Action Hero is a comic play about a heroic prophet who is unrelenting in his desire for social justice. Marcus J Freed plays all of the characters in this exhilarating piece of physical theatre. Co-written with Dr Raphael Zarum, Elijah has been seen in over 15 countries and first premiered in the UK in 2000. The play takes the Biblical text to a whole new level, rediscovering a world of wonder through this 60-minute journey.

The events were organised in conjunction with Rabbi Michael Laitner, the educational coordinator of the Living and Learning Department at the United Synagogue. He commented “These were highly enjoyable events. There was a very relaxed atmosphere at both venues where the play and Marcus’ superb performance was warmly received by both audiences who also appreciated his question and answer session after each performance.”

Marcus J Freed said, “It was exciting to be performing again in England and an honour to be invited by the United Synagogue. The audiences were very responsive and a pleasure to work with. It can sometimes be frustrating to see how we settle for closed interpretations of Biblical stories and texts. These plays present the Tanach in all its visceral glory, challenging audiences to think and feel. I look forwards to working with Rabbis Andrew Shaw and Michael Laitner again in the near future."

Marcus J Freed is a studio-trained yogi, yeshiva-trained educator, published author, BBC broadcaster and classically-trained actor. Marcus has developed a quartet of powerful one-man plays about the Biblical kings: 'King David's Greatest Hits - A tale of swords, slingshots & married women', 'Solomon: King, Poet, & Lover - A story of one man and 700 wives', 'Elijah: First Action Hero', and 'The Madness of King Saul'. Co-written with Dr Raphael Zarum of LSJS, Marcus has performed these witty and creative plays around the world. Formally trained at the prestigious Webber Douglas Academy for Dramatic Art, Marcus' other acting work has included commercials, tv and film in the UK. An innovative Jewish educator, Marcus has toured in over 20 countries performing his plays and teaching Bibliyoga. He enlightens his followers on a weekly basis with his Bibliyoga “Kosher Sutras” emails. To discover more, visit www.bibliyoga.com. He is also the owner and head facilitator of Freedthinking, a communications agency that specialises in drama-based learning.