# Rob Lacey > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rob_Lacey > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Rob_Lacey.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Lacey > Source revision: 1301303230 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|British writer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{more citations needed|date=November 2014}} '''Rob Lacey''' (1962 – 1 May 2006) was a British actor, storyteller and author of ''The Word on the Street'' (formerly ''The Street Bible'') and ''[The Liberator](/source/The_Liberator_(by_Rob_Lacey))''. ==Background== Lacey spent approximately 20 years as an actor and broadcaster, specialising in theatrical storytelling and performance poetry. He is best known for adapting Bible stories to the stage—initially as a one-man show that he performed at major Christian festivals in the UK and US, then later as a three-person show performed by the Lacey Theatre Company.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} Lacey's performances have attracted significant media attention, including the [BBC](/source/BBC), [CNN](/source/CNN), [Fox News](/source/Fox_News) and ''[USA Today](/source/USA_Today)''.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} Lacey also co-directed [The Gate Arts Centre](/source/The_Gate_Arts_Centre) in his hometown of [Cardiff](/source/Cardiff), Wales. ==''The Word on the Street''== HarperCollins first published ''The Word on the Street'' in the United Kingdom in 2003 as ''The Street Bible''.{{Cite book|last=Lacey|first=Rob|title=The street bible|date=2002|publisher=HarperCollins|isbn=0-00-710790-0|location=London|oclc=59430720}} It was one of the bestselling religious books for the next two years, ultimately winning the Christian Booksellers Convention's Book of the Year award in 2004.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}} The book was republished in 2004 in the United States as ''the word on the street'' through Zondervan in both print and ebook formats.{{Cite book|last=Lacey|first=Rob|title=The Word on the street|date=2004|publisher=Zondervan |isbn=978-0-310-92267-4|language=English|oclc=961576424}}{{Cite news|last=Lewis|first=Brian|date=May 8, 2004|title=Writer gets 'Word on Street' with Bible paraphrase|work=The Tennessean|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/244488617/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|access-date=June 22, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204948/https://www.newspapers.com/image/244488617/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|url-status=live}} This release was part of a larger effort by the publisher to reach younger audiences.{{Cite web|last=Arndorfer|first=James B|date=2004-12-13|title=Is nothing sacred? Bible gets series of makeovers|url=https://adage.com/article/news/sacred-bible-series-makeovers/101481|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Adage|language=en|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205302/https://adage.com/article/news/sacred-bible-series-makeovers/101481}} At the same time the book was launched, Lacey partnered with musicians Bill Taylor-Beales and Rachel Taylor-Beales to produce an audio CD of his 75-minute performance of the Bible. The CD was nominated for an [Audie Award](/source/Audie_Awards) by the Audio Publishers Association in 2004.{{Cite web|title=2005 Audie Awards® - APA (en-US)|url=https://www.audiopub.org/winners/2005-audies|access-date=2021-06-22|website=www.audiopub.org|archive-date=2021-06-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210621030115/https://www.audiopub.org/winners/2005-audies|url-status=live}} Lacey chose to write the book partially based on his own recollections of being told Bible stories when he was younger and how they felt "stale" to him.{{Cite news|last=Copley|first=Rich|date=August 7, 2004|title=Rewriting the Bible was never so Hip|work=Lexington-Herald Leader|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/693176565/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|access-date=June 22, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204733/https://www.newspapers.com/image/693176565/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|url-status=live}} After the book was greenlit for publication, Lacey was diagnosed with bladder cancer. He continued to work on the book and has stated that "Working on this really kept me sane" and that "Because the Bible deals with the big issues--like life and death. And it really hit home."{{Cite news|last=Soukup|first=Elise|date=September 20, 2004|title=Bibles: Spreading 'The Word'|work=Newsweek}} The book tells major stories of the Bible, paraphrasing the text in a distinctive, urban style inspired by Lacey's performances. Major biblical stories are recast as mini-blockbusters; individual psalms are rewritten as song lyrics; the [Pauline epistles](/source/Pauline_epistles) become emails to the fledgling "Jesus Liberation Movement" (aka the church). Lacey performed parts of ''The Word on the Street'' at events such as Hallelujah Palooza, where his rendition of "The Good Samaritan" was met with a mixed reaction.{{Cite news|last=Beaujon|first=Andrew|date=2004-07-07|title=Hallelujah Palooza|language=en-US|newspaper=Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/07/07/hallelujah-palooza/fff63c73-f530-44ff-9187-6dfbcdbbba11/|access-date=2021-06-22|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=2022-04-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405132218/https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/07/07/hallelujah-palooza/fff63c73-f530-44ff-9187-6dfbcdbbba11/|url-status=live}} Of the book, [Richard N Ostling](/source/Richard_N._Ostling) noted that the slang would not be to everyone's tastes and that Lacey included some interesting concepts, citing the rewrite of Genesis 1:1-3.{{Cite news|last=Ostling|first=Richard N|date=December 17, 2011|title=Evangelicals match liberals' slang-stuffed Bible|work=Wasau Daily Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/273957031/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|access-date=June 22, 2021|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624205121/https://www.newspapers.com/image/273957031/?terms=%22Word%20on%20the%20Street%22%20Rob%20Lacey&match=1|url-status=live}} ==Death== Lacey died of [bladder cancer](/source/bladder_cancer) on 1 May 2006, aged 43.{{Cite web|title=Rob Lacey Dies: Zondervan remembers award-winning author Rob Lacey|url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/Rob_Lacey_Dies/21400/p1/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Cross Rhythms|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203757/https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/Rob_Lacey_Dies/21400/p1/}}{{Cite web|title=Rob Lacey, 1962-2006|url=https://www.e-n.org.uk/2006/06/features/rob-lacey-1962-2006/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-22|website=Evangelicals Now|date=June 2006 |archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203940/https://www.e-n.org.uk/2006/06/features/rob-lacey-1962-2006/}} He was survived by his wife, Sandra Harnisch-Lacey, and his two children. Harnisch-Lacey later published a memoir of her life with Lacey, ''People Like Us''.{{Cite web|title=Remembering Rob Lacey: CR spoke with his wife Sandra about her new book|url=https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/Remembering_Rob_Lacey/43365/p1/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-22|website=[Cross Rhythms](/source/Cross_Rhythms_(magazine))|archive-date=2021-06-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624203400/https://www.crossrhythms.co.uk/articles/life/Remembering_Rob_Lacey/43365/p1/}} ==Bibliography== * ''The Street Bible''; (UK) (2003, HarperCollins) as ''the word on the street'' (US) (2004, Zondervan) * ''Street Life'' (2004, Zondervan, with [Nick Page](/source/Nick_Page_(writer))) * ''The Liberator'' (2006, Zondervan) ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * {{IMDb name|0479950}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Lacey, Rob}} Category:1962 births Category:2006 deaths Category:21st-century British male writers Category:21st-century Christians Category:British Christian writers Category:Date of birth unknown Category:Deaths from bladder cancer in the United Kingdom Category:Writers from Cardiff --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Rob Lacey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Lacey) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Lacey?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.