Sixty-Six Books, One Hundred Artists, One New Theatre
This October, the Bush Theatre will open the doors to its new home with Sixty-Six Books, an epic performance cycle featuring over 100 artists from across the globe.
From Jeanette Winterson to Jack Thorne, Carol Ann Duffy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Billy Bragg to Wole Soyinka, sixty-six writers from a huge range of backgrounds and disciplines have made a contemporary response to some of the oldest stories ever told. In 2011, the 400th anniversary year of the publication of the King James Bible, each book of this great English work is spoken to by a remarkable range of playwrights, poets, songwriters and novelists from all faiths and none, from over a dozen countries and across five continents.
Curated by Artistic Director Josie Rourke in collaboration with Associate Director Christopher Haydon, Sixty-Six Books brings together a team of the country’s most exciting emerging and established directors, designers, performers and artists to create an immersive experience that inaugurates the Bush’s new home before spreading to a host of other venues across London including a twelve hour vigil at Westminster Abbey on 21st October.
Click here to see the sixty-six writers involved.
Sixty-Six Books will begin and end with two exhilarating 24-hour performances during which you can experience all 66 responses with a 24 Hour Pass. You can experience a selection of responses during the week when the Bush will be open from 7.30pm. More information on the individual responses including times will be available at a later date.
Sixty-Six Books is presented by the Bush Theatre in association with the King James Bible Trust and supported by the National Lottery through Arts Council England, Foyle Foundation, the National Theatre and the South Bank Centre
Jeanette Winterson (Genesis), Anne Michaels (Exodus), Caroline Bird (Leviticus), Neil Bartlett (Numbers), Maha Khan Phillips (Deuteronomy), Daisy Hasan (Joshua), Tom Wells (Judges), Stella Duffy (Ruth), Andrew Motion (1 Samuel), Wole Soyinka (2 Samuel), Roy Williams (1 Kings), Sam Burns (2 Kings), Salena Godden (1 Chronicles), Tim Rice (2 Chronicles), Naomi Foyle (Ezra), Mandla Langa (Nehemiah), Jackie Kay (Esther), Neil LaBute (Job), Kwame Kwei-Armah (Psalms), Toby Litt (Proverbs), Nancy Kricorian (Ecclesiastes), Carol Ann Duffy (Isaiah), Luke Kennard (Jeremiah), Owen Sheers (Ezekiel), Jack Thorne (Daniel), Nick Payne (Hosea), Yemisi Blake (Joel), Michael Rosen (Amos), Nancy Harris (Obadiah), Nick Laird (Jonah), Adam Foulds (Micah), Moira Buffini (Nahum), Trevor Griffiths (Habbakuk), Helen Edmundson (Zephaniah), Suheir Hammad (Haggai), Elinor Cook (Zechariah), Molly Naylor (Malachi), Laura Dockrill (The Gospel according to St Matthew), Steve Waters (The Gospel according to St Mark), Billy Bragg (The Gospel according to St Luke), Rowan Williams (The Gospel according to John), Lachlan Mackinnon (Acts), Amy Rosenthal (Romans), Matt Charman (1 Corinthians), Wena Poon (2 Corinthians), Deirdre Kinahan (Galatians), Marks & Gran (Ephesians), Chris Goode (Philippians), Zukiswa Wanner (Colossians), DC Jackson (1 Thessalonians), Christopher Shinn (2 Thessalonians), David Edgar (1 Timothy), James Graham (2 Timothy), Anya Reiss (Titus), Kamila Shamsie (Philemon), Anthony Weigh (Hebrews) Brian Chikwava (James), Helen Mort (1 Peter), Suhayla El-Bushra (2 Peter), David Eldridge (1 John), Nathalie Handal (2 John), Enda Walsh (3 John), Anne Carson (Jude) and Kate Mosse (Revelation).
