NEW NOTICE: 17 March 2020
Due to the latest national, university, and college precautions against the COVID-19 virus, it is with real disappointment and sadness that we must announce the postponement of the premiere of the play, Fire from Heaven. The organisers plan to offer this premiere again as soon as reasonably possible.
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From the creators of the acclaimed Mr Darwin’s Tree comes this inspiring new play about a young man from the humblest background who rose to become one of the greatest experimental scientist of the nineteenth century.
Written and directed by Murray Watts. Performed by Andrew Harrison.
Premier produced by SCIO: Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford.
Sponsored by Templeton Religious Trust.
Co-sponsored by Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion | DCM Oxford | Wycliffe Hall.
SCIO is Wycliffe Hall’s partner in research and visiting student education programmes.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: SCIO
TO REGISTER A PLACE AT THE PLAY: FFH registration
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Fire from Heaven: Michael Faraday and the Dawn of the Electrical Age playwright and director, Murray Watts, is one of the best-known Christian playwrights and screenwriters in the UK. He wrote and directed the acclaimed play Mr Darwin’s Tree, which was commissioned to mark the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and premiered at Westminster Abbey. SCIO produced five USA tours and multiple Oxford performances of Mr Darwin’s Tree. Watts is the author of more than a dozen books, including The miracle maker, and the screenwriter for the film of the same name, featuring Ralph Fiennes and Julie Christie. An animated film on the life of Jesus, The miracle makerwas the top-rated television film for ABC Network in 2000 and has been viewed by millions around the world. Watts is also the author of the bestselling The Bible for children, which has been translated into more than 20 languages, and the screenwriter for KJB: the book that changed the world, directed by Norman Stone (Shadowlands) and featuring John Rhys-Davies (The lord of the rings). Watts also wrote and directed the one-man play The dream, based on Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The dream of a ridiculous man, which went on to spawn the film of the same name staring Jeremy Irons and the television mini-series Tales from the madhouse. He has often worked with the actor Andrew Harrison to create solo performances.
ANDREW HARRISON is the actor in Fire from Heaven: Michael Faraday and the Dawn of the Electrical Age, and has worked in film, television, theatre, and radio for over 30 years. He previously played Charles Darwin in Murray Watts’ Mr Darwin’s Tree. His theatre credits include Glyn and It with Dame Penelope Keith on national tour, the premiere tour of Peter Nichol’s Blue murder, and the London West End production with the late Sir Michael Hordern of Trelawny of the Wells. He made his repertory debut in Exeter playing the leads in Caryl Churchill’s Serious money and Alan Ayckbourn’s A chorus of disapproval. Andrew is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4’s drama department. His film credits include An ideal husband, The sea change, A little loving, and Dorian Gray; for television he has appeared in Florence Nightingale, The life of Pepys, Miss Marple, 2000 acres of sky, The Bill, Birds of a feather, You rang m’lord?, Beyond Narnia, and Summer in Transylvania.
