Rob Lacey, R.I.P.

Rob Lacey, who wrote The Word on the Street, a retelling of the Bible in "hip" language, has died at the age of 43. I saw Lacey when I wrote about the Cornerstone Festival for The Washington Post, and I mentioned him in my upcoming book. From the Post piece:

There's also a table selling "The Word on the Street," a hip retelling of the Bible by Rob Lacey, a Welsh performance artist. Lacey himself takes the stage between main-stage bands to share some of his material: a three-minute version of the entire Bible as well as an update of the story of the Prodigal Son, in which "Sam Aritan" stops to help an injured stranger.



Lacey then starts shouting "Rewind!" and casts several others in the role of the Good Samaritan: an illegal immigrant, a Welshman, a homosexual (who minces and lisps and calls the man's wounds "just beastly") and, to loud boos, a Frenchman. ("Boot ah em a pacifeest!" he protests.)