THE EASTER STORY 2005
by Neil Pugmire

Performed: Easter 2005, Commercial Road, Portsmouth.

For the third time in four years, Churches Together in Central Portsmouth commissioned Top Cat Theatre Company to perform the Easter story - from Palm Sunday through to Good Friday - in the main shopping centre in Portsmouth.

This time, we worked with performing arts students from St Luke’s C of E School to present the story samba-style. The pupils played samba drums in a carnival-style procession to re-enact Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Worshippers from 11 churches in the city centre followed a giant puppet of Jesus (pictured below) and the samba band from the city’s RC cathedral, along Edinburgh Road and into Commercial Road, where the sight of the 12-foot puppet and the sound of the samba drums stunned Saturday morning shoppers!

Then the students performed drama to show shoppers what Good Friday and Easter Sunday are all about - all to the rhythm of the samba drums. It included pieces of drama they had devised themselves as part of their GNVQ in performing arts.