Father and son ready to fight

A father and son team are using their stage-fighting skills in a Passion Play to be performed in the centre of Edinburgh this Easter.

David McBeath (47) from Bathgate and his son Brandon (21), a former Royal Marine, are both performing in The Edinburgh Easter Play, which will be staged in Princes Street Gardens on Saturday at 2pm.

Father and son have worked together to choreograph the fight scenes in the play and are getting ready to square up to one another at one particularly dramatic moment.

David, who works as a fitness instructor and youth worker, said: “Brandon plays a Roman soldier who comes to arrest Jesus. I play Peter, one of the disciples, and I try to defend him.

“He tries to grab hold of Jesus and ends up fighting me.

“I’m the one who gets the bruises instead of Jesus. I’m like Jesus’ stunt double.”

Both father and son are trained in martial arts and stage- fighting and have demonstrated stage-fighting skills for other theatre groups.

They have worked on choreography and stunts for films such as ‘Battle of Kings: Bannockburn’ and ‘The Princess and the Gangster’.

Both were involved in the Passion Play ‘The Life of Jesus Christ’, staged at Dundas Castle in 2001.

David said: “Then I was the Roman soldier and Brandon played the wee boy who brings the loaves and fish to feed the five thousand. It’s always been a family thing for us.

“I’m really pleased to be acting with him again. I was already cast in this year’s play but when I heard they were looking for Roman soldiers I told Brandon. He had just left the Royal Marines and he said ‘That’s me’.

“It’s great to be fighting with him because we know each other so well.

“We know what we can take and how hard we can hit each other but he’s tougher than me. He’s been a Royal Marine and I’m getting older.”

The family connection continues as David’s two younger children Shannon (12) and Chloe (8) are also taking part.

Passion Play organisers are hoping for a crowd of over 2000 to watch a large-scale dramatisation of the Easter story with more than 40 performers.

Director Suzanne Lofthus said: “David is a strong performer and has been an important part of the Easter Play over the years.

“We’re really pleased to have him and Brandon working on the fight scenes together and expect them to be stronger than ever.”