REVIEW: MARK II

Powerful, eloquent and passionate, Tom Bates returns to the Hamilton Fringe with the second half of his compelling performance of The Gospel of Mark. While audiences can see the strong writing and impressive memorization and characterization, Mark II may struggle to find an audience willing to listen and appreciate the theatrics of the stories being told.

Mark II continues after the beheading of John the Baptist and follows the story of Jesus as a wandering prophet teaching parables and healing the sick with his Twelve Disciples. Performing the Gospel of Mark as a one-man show has been a passion project of actor Tom Bates for some time, and it certainly shows. Bates delivers with great ease and excels at voicing other character’s skepticism and wonder as they surround Jesus in his travels until his ultimate fate. While Bates is the main focus, and rightly so, it is noticeable how simple the lighting, set and minimal sound cues are and perhaps some projected visuals would help with the atmosphere of the piece or provide more ways for the audience to engage and understand.

The Gospel of Mark feels, as Bates describes, as a form of investigative journalism. It is interesting to hear these stories from the outside looking in and question the events as they unfold. If nothing else, this show is certainly passionately performed and could lead to some interesting theological discussions post-show. Bates deserves larger audiences even though the subject matter will not resonate with everyone. An unexpected but impressive addition to this year’s Fringe.

BONUS: If you missed part one, all will be explained as Bates will be performing a few shows of Mark I as a last minute addition to the festival. Check the schedule for dates/times.