DAVID PAYNE DRAMA
Prisoner of Passion
Introduction
Six years ago David Payne was commissioned to record the audio version of The Holman Christian Standard Bible. He mostly withdrew from his drama performances so that he could concentrate on this demanding project. It took him just over a year to record and when the new translation was launched he was then commissioned to write a play as part of the launch program. He decided on Paul the Apostle, and chose the time when he was under house arrest in Rome. The overriding concept in his mind was “What would it be like if Paul was with a believer and was reflecting on many of the things he had written to the churches.” The intimacy of the concept intrigued him and thus Prisoner of Passion was born. Originally the play’s lifespan was only expected to last during the launch period but such was its powerful impact on believers, David quickly realized it had to become part of his ongoing repertoire. Now it has become one of his most requested presentations. And the reason is simple. It is drawn almost entirely from scripture. As such it inspires, encourages, thrills and leads many into an incredible sense of worship and joy. The play has two versions: a two-person version and a one-person version. A preview (two-person version) can be seen on our website: DavidPayneDrama.com.
David Payne
“Auditions for Shadowlands, British accents a help!” So read an advert for this theatrical production to be staged at Nashville’s prestigious Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) in 1996. Payne, who had never been on stage before but who did have a British accent decided to audition hoping for a minor part. He staggered everybody (including himself) when he won the lead role of C.S. Lewis. The rest, as they say, is history and a successful acting career had been launched. The TPAC production sold out, Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham flew in for the opening night and the director, Sylvia Boyd, said of Payne afterwards, “I took a chance on someone who had never acted before but was rewarded with a performance of great power and sensitivity – I felt we had found the real C.S. Lewis!”
During rehearsals for the Shadowlands production Payne was given a copy of A Grief Observed, Lewis’ diary of grief following the death of his American wife, Joy. Captivated by the brutal honesty of a man bearing his soul, Payne memorized the whole book, finally adapting it to a one-man show “Mist in the Mourning.” Premiered at TPAC where all three performances sold out he then toured the US extensively with this production. Many times after these performances Payne would be peppered with lots of questions about C.S. Lewis and his great friend J.R.R. Tolkien. He was always very happy to answer these questions and then one day, a thought struck him. “Wouldn’t it be fun if Lewis himself could answer these questions.” That’s when he wrote ‘An Evening with C.S. Lewis,’ basing the show around the questions that people kept asking and the pivotal occurrences in Lewis’ life.Now it has become his most popular show. Indeed, when a taping of An Evening with C.S. Lewis was aired on a satellite dish network in the US, the response was astonishing.
Payne’s first encounter with C.S. Lewis was when, as a teenager, he was given a copy of Lewis’ best selling book Screwtape Letters. Little did he realize that some 40 years later he would be gaining a reputation for his portrayals of its famous author. He has played Lewis in a number of productions of Shadowlands, in his self-penned Weep for Joy and, of course, in numerous presentations of An Evening with C.S. Lewis. It was his re-reading of Screwtape Letters that inspired him to write the musical Target Practice. Set in the academy of Fiends, this energetic show features a cantankerous professor (Payne) attempting to teach unruly junior fiends on the art of tripping up Targets (humans). His latest stage show is his self penned St Jack & The Dragon, a hilarious yet touching story about the relationship of C.S. Lewis and his adopted mother, Mrs. Moore. Says Payne “Thanks to Shadowlands, many people know about his marriage to the American, Joy Gresham. Few, however, know that there was another woman in his life, his adopted mother. She wasn’t easy to live with and was often referred to as The Dragon! However, in the 33 years she was part of the Lewis household, Jack (as Lewis was known to his friends ) treated her with an enduring kindness that was little short of saintly”
Payne has not limited himself to Lewis related ventures. Having completed a commission to record an audio version of a new Bible translation he was then commissioned to write a play featuring the new translation text. The result was Prisoner of Passion set at the time when the Apostle Paul was under house arrest in Rome. There are two versions – a one-man show and a two person show. In both Paul reflects on what he has written to the churches and rejoices in the certain promises of God. Powerful and inspiring, the dialog is almost entirely taken from Scripture.
Payne, who was born in London, is married with two sons and three grand children.
See David Payne as the Apostle Paul in Prisoner of Passion
Saturday, November 5, 2011 at 7:00 pm
at the Cowan Center for the Arts
Tickets just $10
Prisoner of Passion – one person performance
The apostle Paul is under house arrest in Rome and is on his own except for a Roman Soldier guard. The guard is new and, when he is not in Paul’s room, insists on locking the door. Luke arrives to see Paul but the guard has gone next door to see a friend who is guarding another detainee. Despite the locked door, the two friends are able to talk to one another. Both find great encouragement as Paul reflects on many of the things he has written to the churches. Even though the apostle faces a very uncertain future, Luke (offstage) finds Paul in good spirits and quick to rejoice in the events of the past and his hope of the future. Using dialog taken almost entirely from the New Testament, the Bible takes on a new, thrilling dynamic as this drama unfolds.
