'Moses' DVD: Live-Action Story of Biblical Proportions

The Virgil Films well-produced DVD of the Sight & Sound Theatres well-staged live performance of "Moses" provides a good chance to see an entertainingly breezy two-hour cradle-to-Exodus story of the titular chosen person. The details in this telling remind us of the stutter of Moses. 

The grand sets and the decent special effects are in keeping with the Biblical proportions of the story. The copious use of incredibly well-trained sheep, a camel, and other animals that include a scene-stealing parrot add even more fun. 

Our story aptly begins with the birth mother of Moses and his sister Miriam setting him afloat down the Nile. Inadvertent humor comes in the form of the journey looking more like Kal-El setting off for earth from Krypton than the beginning of the destiny of the man who leads the Jews out of slavery in Egypt.

As most of us know, a royal pardon saves Moses from the fatal fate of most Jewish babies that are found in denial. This soon leads to several years of care by a very special wet nurse until Moses not longer depends on mother's milk. This apparently taking five yeas contributes an ick factor.

Adult Moses goes on to live a life of luxury and privilege until a rude awakening leads to a live of slavery and a related (pun intended) reunion with sister Miriam and brother Aaron. Trauma soon arises in the form of a "Mom liked you best" conflict with the current pharaoh. The new voice of God makes the first of several "let my people go" pleas; these fall on deaf ears regarding the brother from another mother. 

The sibling rivalry leads to the well-known plagues and the related (goofily portrayed) Passover story regarding a culling of the population of Egypt. It is not much of a spoiler to state that the brother of Moses ultimately cries "Uncle" but has a change of heart.

As indicated above, our story ends with the Dumbledore-looking Moses once again putting his magic staff to good use, He uses it to part the Red Sea; however, we do not witness the fate of the pursing horde that walks like an Egyptian. 

The DVD extras include features on the Sight & Sound Theatres and on recording the "Moses" album.