Bozeman Actors Theatre presents a dramatic reading of T.S. Eliot’s famous play Murder in the Cathedral on April 19 and 20, at the Holy Rosary Church in Bozeman. Directed by Mike Beehler, Murder in the Cathedral tells the story of the murder of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket (played by John Hosking) in 1170 at the behest of King Henry II of England. Staging this play at Holy Rosary Church allows one to feel the resemblance to a cathedral, simulating the actual scene of the crime.

T.S. Eliot was commissioned to write this play in 1935 by the Bishop of Chichester, as the rising tide of fascism was sweeping Europe. Eliot wrote Murder in the Cathedral as a provocative verse-drama, raising profound questions for us today related to issues of church/state relations, populism versus nationalism, temptation, pride, and redemption.

King Henry II famously said of Thomas Becket; “Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?” Four knights overheard Henry and, hoping to please their king, left immediately for Canterbury Cathedral and murdered Becket at the altar. The murder of Becket quickly became a notorious crime, and Henry — in order to pacify the citizens of England and preserve his kingship — undertook a pilgrimage to seek forgiveness. As penance for the murder, Henry walked barefoot through the streets of Canterbury wearing a sackcloth rather than his royal robes. Reaching Becket’s tomb, he was beaten by monks and spent the night with no food or blankets on the Cathedral floor, praying for forgiveness. 

As a proof of how this nearly 100-year-old play and 854-year-old murder is relevant today, consider how on June 8, 2017, Thomas Becket made a surprise appearance in the investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. Former FBI director James Comey had been summoned to appear before a hearing of a Senate Intelligence Committee to provide “texture and context” about his interactions with President Trump. About an hour and 40 minutes into proceedings, Maine Senator Angus King asked Comey about Trump’s “hope” that Comey would stop the investigation of General Michael Flynn, the disgraced former national security adviser — at which point Comey made a pointed reference to Becket’s martyrdom:

King: “When a president of the United States in the Oval office says something like, ‘I hope’ or ‘I suggest’ or ‘Would you?’, do you take that as a directive?”

Comey: “Yes. Yes. It rings in my ears as kind of ‘Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?’”

Tickets available soon