Review: A New "Medieval" Play about Jonah

From a review posted May 8, 2015 By Reg Grant

"Bob Adams has done an outstanding job of constructing what he terms a miracle play around the framework of the biblical book of Jonah. The form is iambic decameter, and will remind the reader of medieval mystery plays, though Adams subtitle is, A Miracle Play. The technical distinction between mystery play and miracle play isn't that significant here; however, the informed reader of traditional medieval miracle plays, shouldn't be expecting the intervention of saints' miracles in this text. It's pretty much a straight up retelling of the story of the prophet Jonah from the Bible, and so fits the rudimentary requirements of a mystery play (addressing biblical material), perhaps a bit more accurately. Of course, it does contain a miracle: Jonah being swallowed by a great fish and then disgorged three days later. So, one could make the argument that it is a kind of miracle play. That said, the reader is in for an unexpected treat, as Adams articulates the grammar, the syntax, of medieval Europe. His style is convincing and authentic. One caveat for purists: Adams's script often resembles a bit more Elizabethan than Medieval stylings, though that's a bit of a niggling point. It is a play that invites a chamber performance for an intimate gathering of those who would enjoy the story of Jonah as it would have been experienced in the Middle Ages."

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