Jane Dawson reports after filming for the Chester Mystery Plays

With little more than 130 days to the opening of the 2013 Chester Mystery Plays, actors were filming at Chester Cathedral last week.

Film will feature in the production for the first time ever and the recording is of the moment when Judas (Paul Williams) betrays Jesus (Jonathan Sharps).

Director Peter Leslie Wild said: “Seeing Judas walking down the cloisters in semi darkness you get a real sense of the menace of the scene.

“What you realise is that Chester Cathedral creates a powerful atmosphere.”

Jonathan provided the voiceover for the film, which was produced by video and motion graphics designer Andy Davies.

Andy is also creative director for the University of Chester’s Harlequin project. He said: “This is a very exciting project for us.

“The Cathedral staff were amazingly helpful. We had access to all areas, even up in the triforium so we could do a long shot from above.

“Jesus and Judas were brilliant – they were very patient and contributed to the whole creative process so that the end result is really very special.”

Peter, who was a senior producer with BBC radio drama for 16 years, added: “It was really good for me to hear Jonathan on the film. You realise how powerful the language of the plays is, how measured and emotional, with the quiet treachery flowing from the poetry.”

Watch the video on our website at www.chesterchronicle.co.uk. Visit www.chestermysteryplays.com for tickets for the Chester Mystery Plays.