Sayers is of course best known as a writer of mystery novels, being one of the "Four Queens of Crime" (the other three being Agatha Christie, Margery Allingham, and Ngaio Marsh). Her most well-known works are the novels featuring the amateur sleuth, Lord Peter Wimsey. But she was also a student of languages- both classical and modern- and produced translations of a number of classic works including Dante's Divine Comedy and The Song of Roland. Sayers also wrote poetry, short stories, commentaries, and a number of books- and, obviously, plays- on Christian theology. She came by this last interest honestly, being the daughter of an Anglican minister back when Church of England clerics still had some nodding acquaintance with Christian theology.
Oddly enough, Sayers' inspiration for writing The Man Born To Be King came neither from her classical language and literature studies, nor her background in theology. While she was still establishing herself as a writer, Sayers worked for an advertising agency from 1922-31, writing slogans and jingles. One of her co-workers- named Albert Henry Ross- wrote books on Christian apologetics in his spare time, under the pseudonym Frank Morison; one of these books was titled Who Moved The Stone? and it examined the historical aspects of the trial, execution, and resurrection of Jesus. Sayers drew from this book quite a bit while writing her play cycle- especially for the trial scene.
The Man Born To Be King was controversial from the get-go; a number of prissy atheists started in complaining about Christian plays being a form of propaganda. But a number of Christians also took issue with the plays; some were against an actor, even a voice actor, portraying Christ. And some regarded the entire project as being irreverent- heretical, even- because Sayers had her characters speak in every day English rather than the very formal, old style language of the King James Bible. Once the plays were released, however, the response was overwhelmingly positive- hence the replay a couple of years later.
Dear Miss Sayers--
I’ve finished The Man Born to be King and think it a complete success. (Christie the H.M. of Westminster told me that the actual performances over the air left his 2 small daughters with “open and silent mouths” for several minutes).
I shed real tears (hot ones) in places: since Mauriac’s Vie de Jesus nothing has moved me so much. I’m not absolutely sure whether Judas for me “comes off”—i.e. whether I shd. have got him without your off-stage analysis. But this may be due to merely reading what was meant to be heard. He’s quite a possible conception, no doubt: I’m only uncertain of the execution. But that is the only point I’m doubtful on. I expect to read it times without number again….
Yours sincerely
C.S. Lewis (Collected Letters, II, 577f)