Kathryn Wehr on DK Sayers’ classic BBC Radio Plays in WWII

“The Man Born to be King: Wade Annotated Edition” by Dorothy L. Sayers, edited by Kathryn Wehr (IVP Academic)

This is an extraordinary new edition of the BBC Radio Plays written by acclaimed author, playwright and scholar Dorothy L. Sayers. The BBC broadcast this series of radio dramas from Dec. 1941 until Oct. 1942, one a month, presenting 12 specific moments in the life and ministry of Jesus. They were written in such a way that they seemed like real people, speaking the vernacular rather than stilted “Bible-talk”. The broadcasts were incredibly popular and influential, and they were published in book form in 1943.

Sayers chose as her overarching theme “the kingship of Christ” because (as she explained), “even children can’t help knowing there is a great dispute going on (during WWII) about how the world should be governed.”

These plays are amazing! Powerfully written, and carefully constructed. I can only imagine what a punch these plays must have packed at the time, for actors were forbidden to portray Christ on stage in Britain since 1843. The actors on the radio were not restricted because no one could see them playing Jesus, so to hear Him speaking to His disciples and interacting with the other contemporary characters must have been incredible. It’s powerful now!

Dorothy L. Sayers painstakingly translated the Gospels and used other 1^st century writings (such as the Jewish historian Josephus) to flesh out these characters. I particularly like what she did with Judas Iscariot, making him a very smart and intuitive man. Like Lucifer, in this version Judas was tripped-up by his pride, and ultimately misjudged the situation so badly that he despaired of what he had put into play. Not trusting Jesus to forgive him, Judas took his own life. And what a tragedy on so many levels. What an incredible witness Judas would have had: the disciple who betrayed Christ to His enemies, yet the Son of Man forgave him. Alas, Judas didn’t believe Jesus would overcome death, even though he had seen Jesus raise a very-dead Lazarus, and so Judas died tragically and lost everything.

Dorothy L. Sayers was a brilliant playwright. I can hear these words of hers over the radio in my imagination, just filled with the power of the Holy Spirit to bless and enlighten. Kathryn Wehr has done a masterful job of providing us a window into the mind of the playwright, “documenting Sayer’s intellectual and creative process as she reflected on the Gospels and composed the plays for radio.”

In these days when radio is seen as old-fashioned and streaming is all the rage, these wonderful radio plays from eight decades ago still are vibrant examples of the every best of the art of storytelling. Christians who read these plays will find (as I do) that they still  can be touched by the authenticity of Sayer’s brilliant creations. These plays brought the truth of Christ to a generation in Great Britain during a time of greater danger and turmoil than we face today. They retain that vibrancy.