printed 12 March 2024
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The inspiring story of a Scottish athlete who refused to run on Sunday is coming to life at Scots Kirk in Paris.
Eric Liddell received a gold medal within the 400 meters on the 1924 Olympic Video games within the French capital – a victory depicted within the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fireplace.
He refused to run within the heats of his favourite race, the 100 metres, as a result of they have been held on Sundays – a day he believed God had put aside as particular and never for work – and selected as an alternative to evangelise on the Scots Kirk.
To have fun the centenary of his gold medal win, the congregation is internet hosting two performances of Eric Liddell’s – The Chariot of Fireplace on March 23.
Produced by Searchlight Theater Firm, the four-person play’s synopsis reads: “Set in Paris, throughout the 1924 Olympic Video games, we see the struggles Eric Liddell faces round him to remain true to his rules.
“When given the prospect to turn into the quickest man on this planet, will his religion take root? Should he keep true to his beliefs? And might he carry dwelling a medal for king and nation?”
A critic described the play as “an exploration of dedication, ambition and religion”.
The Flying Scotsman
Eric Liddell was born in 1902 in Tientsin (now Tianjin) in northern China.
His Scottish dad and mom have been Christian missionaries with the London Mission Society and he and his older brother Rob attended a London boarding college.
He visited his dad and mom and sister once they returned to the household dwelling in Edinburgh, and in 1920 he entered the College of Edinburgh to review pure science.
Generally known as the “Flying Scotsman”, the athlete broke the world file 3 times earlier than profitable the 400m last, which was held on a weekday.
Valerie Prior, Classes Clerk of the Scots Kirk, mentioned: “The play is being carried out as a part of our Eric Liddell commemoration and we’re very privileged to have the ability to carry Searchlight right here.
“It covers Mr Liddell’s time on the Olympic Video games, his determination to not run within the heats for his favourite 100m as a result of they have been held on a Sunday, his campaigns at Scots Kirk on 6 and 13 July 1924 and his subsequent gold within the 400m.”
The play was created and first carried out to coincide with the Olympic Video games in London in 2012 and toured the US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand in subsequent years.
Actor Michael Taylor performs Eric Liddell and says he’s trying ahead to the position.
“The play has been on ice for years however once we realized that the Olympics have been returning to Paris, 100 years after they have been final held there, we thought it was a chance to carry this story again to life, in a spot that performed an vital however typically missed position on this story, actually particular
“Scots Kirk is a big a part of it as a result of that is the place he went on a Sunday morning, not figuring out if he was going dwelling from the Olympics with nothing to indicate for it however standing up for the Creator.”
Occasions are going down at 11am and a pair of.30pm and attendees are inspired to make a door donation of €20 for adults and €10 for underneath 16s.
Numbers are restricted and individuals are requested to e-mail scotskirkparis@orange.fr to point whether or not they wish to attend the morning or afternoon efficiency.
Mr Liddell graduated from Edinburgh College after the 1924 Paris Olympics, studied theology for a yr after which he returned to Tientsin to work as a missionary with the London Missionary Society.
He taught science at Anglo-Chinese language Faculty and later determined to turn into a missionary in rural China, touring by foot and bicycle.
mind tumor
After the Japanese invasion of China and the outbreak of World Conflict II, Mr. Liddell’s pregnant spouse and their two youngsters fled to the protection of his native Canada, however he determined to remain.
He was later labeled as an enemy nationwide and despatched to a jail in Wichien in 1943.
Mr Liddell took a management position in assembly the bodily and religious wants of the prisoners – preaching sermons and educating hymns.
Tragically, he developed an inoperable mind tumor and died within the camp in February 1945.
A one-man play protecting Mr Liddell’s life after the Olympic Video games have been staged in Scots Kirk on 6 July.
The Eric Liddell 100 is a program of instructional, sporting and cultural occasions that celebrates Liddell’s legacy and goals to carry his achievements alive for brand new generations.
The Paris 2024 Video games would be the largest sporting occasion to be hosted in France and can happen from July 26 to August 11.
