This work presents the Gospel story as you've never heard it before. Through these five plays, the story of Jesus's life as told in the Gospel of Luke is pieced together as if from the memories of those who were there and saw events for themselves: Jesus's mother Mary, his closest friends, the Jewish High Priest, and the Roman Governor. They recount the events they witnessed as if they had happened just the other day - and the effect on their own lives. This series looks at: How James and John first encountered Jesus by the lake; the three astonishing years of his ministry; his trial and ignominious death; the wholly unexpected resurrection; and, finally, his mother Mary who looks back to his obscure birth and the portents that accompanied it...

Witness: Five Plays From the Gospel of Luke consists of a series of 5 x 40-minute plays by Nick Warburton. They were originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2007.

Each episode takes the form of reminiscences, with dramatised dialogue, narrated by major figures from the Gospels, Peter, Mary Magdalene, Judas, Pilate, Caiaphas the High Priest, and lastly Jesus' mother Mary, who looks back to his birth and the dark shadow that loomed even then. Each play is followed by a short feature, Witness: Behind Luke's Gospel, presented by Ernie Rea which examines the themes of Luke's Gospel.

It goes without saying that if you think the Gospels are the greatest fairytale ever told, then you probably won't enjoy this series, but those that prefer to keep an open mind, this is an entertaining series that is made all the more interesting by the inclusion of Ernie Rea's fascinating look back at the historical context of the Gospels.

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Pete Boomer