The Umbrella Organisation

Photo credit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2009/aug/12/sea-wall-heaven-fringe-review

Welcome back to the National Andrew Scott!

Andrew Scott will be returning to the National today to take part in the ongoing series of King James Bible readings. The Gospel According to John will be read at 2pm today (Sunday 6 November).

The Gospel According to John - The latest gospel (John's) celebrates the mystery of the incarnation. Cast includes Mark Bazeley, Alex Jennings, Stephanie Street, Nick Sampson & Andrew Scott.

Some of the readers in this series have been outstanding, others less so. I will give a shout out to my favourites tomorrow when I have finished the whole series (I had to miss two of the series - other commitments!).

Photo credit: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=66401

Today at the National Melvyn Bragg, the broadcaster and author, looked at the radical impact of the King James Bible over the last 400 years in "The Book of Books", at the culmination of the National's series of readings to mark the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible.

I have been enjoying the series of King James Bible readings at the National but, more than the readings, I enjoyed this talk by Melvyn Bragg. He talked about the impact of the King James Bible in shaping English and British history and wider world history. He broke his glasses just before he came on and so he did the talk more or less without his notes. He spoke with passion and conviction, energy and enthusiasm, and intelligence and knowledge. Without a shadow of a doubt, it was one of the best talks that I have ever been to at the National. I loved it and I learnt shedloads. If you ever get a chance to hear Melvyn speak, do not let the opportunity pass you by!

You can buy the book from Amazon in hardback or paperback:
Hardback:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Books-Radical-Impact-1611-2011/dp/1444705156/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1320543602&sr=8-1
Paperback:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Book-Books-Radical-1611-2011-History/dp/1444705164/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1320543602&sr=8-3

Photo credit: http://www.ntposters.org.uk/image/106660/man-of-mode-the

The Man of Mode will, from now on, be permanently on the sidebar where it belongs. I have not forgotten that I promised to run a feature on it - it will be coming soon to The Umbrella Organisation (promise!).