The cast of 14, led by Will Adamsdale as Judah Ben-Hur with Miranda Raison as his love-interest, fearlessly staged a sea-battle and the famous chariot race with little more than a chandelier, a table and a set of pram wheels (and the audience’s imagination).

 

Reviews

 

“[A rollicking good ride]… what looks on paper like a colossal joke turns out to be one of the most enjoyable, uplifting shows in town….the remarkable focus of Heap’s direction, which knows exactly when to rein in the humour to achieve dramatic eloquence and when not to take itself too seriously…”
Dominic Cavendish. The Daily Telegraph

“The acid test is of course the chariot race, and this is a passing triumph with pub chairs for chariots in a dash that would have left the great racing commentator Peter O’Sullivan gasping”
Patrick Marmion. Time Out

“Carl Heap’s inventive production has a lightness of touch that is always engaging. His simple stagecraft makes you shiver with sheer pleasure at what theatre can do without resort to special effects. Unlike the famous 1902 production at Drury Lane, which has passed into stage history for its teams of horses running on giant treadmills, Heap’s achievement is breathtaking precisely because it is done on so few resources.”
Lyn Gardner. The Guardian

“… a magnificent piece of theatre that would be top of the tree at any time of the year, turning a glorified epic into something akin to a medieval mystery play – and moving with it. … Heap is founder of the hugely undervalued touring Medieval Players and every aspect of his Ben-Hur bears the stamp of someone who has spent years honing gesture and movement for maximum effect…Unequivocally and absolutely brilliant.”
Carole Woddis. What’s On *****

  • Directed by Carl Heap
  • Written by Carl Heap and Tom Morris
  • Theatre Battersea Arts Centre
  • Year 2002 - 2003