If you haven’t yet got your tickets for the biggest theatre event of the summer, then fear not. The team behind Oliver! at Lincoln Cathedral have made more seats available so more people get the chance to experience what is sure to be a spectacular show.
As the director of Oliver! I am prepared to be rather bold and take, what I guess would be described in sporting circles, as ‘the flack’, ‘the stick’, ‘the pelters’ when I tell you that when you arrive at the Cathedral next month to watch Oliver! you’re in for a really special experience.
After previous sell-out runs of Jekyll and Hide and Jesus Christ Superstar, it was time to up the ante. The cast of Oliver! I’m sure would validate my bolshiness. Leo Tolstoy said that If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content. I’m never content.
There are many ways in which Oliver! is different to previous shows. Not least because it is staged in the round.
The audience surrounds the stage on every side to create a truly intimate experience. Wherever you may find yourself, you are immersed in the performance itself, in every single scene.
I love to see people’s faces when I show them pictures of how the stage will look, the lighting, the props, the ensemble and of course the audience. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve heard the words “Oh! Oh wow!”
Behind the scenes with the cast in Lincoln Cathedral. Photo: Richard Hall
The cast and crew have also been rehearsing at Lincoln Carlton Academy. Photo: Richard Hall
Rheanna Trueman as Nancy during a Lincoln Cathedral rehearsal. Photo: Richard Hall
One of the young stars playing Oliver. Photo: Richard Hall
Another young Oliver in the show. Photo: Richard Hall
Oliver in the iconic workhouse scene. “I want some more”. Photo: Richard Hall
Now, I can write and keep writing about the stage, the lights, the incredible live orchestra, and the amazing setting of the cathedral nave, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world. But I’ll stop. We have been working tirelessly as actors to create something memorable and unique.
If the audience is to be immersed in the workhouse, in Fagin’s den, in the Three Cripples pub, then it is the actors who will achieve this. A great actor says honesty isn’t enough for me. That becomes very boring. If you can convince people what you’re doing is real and it’s also bigger than life – that’s exciting.
Food Glorious Food! Photo: Richard Hall
Working with some fantastic talent, and working them extremely hard by the way, has afforded us this. We want make it bigger than life and take you away somewhere else. And I know one thing for sure, you’re going to have a wonderful time!
We have more seats in the cathedral than ever before, and the way in which Oliver! is staged means you’ll have a much enhanced view of the performance. There are no bad seats!
If you’re coming by yourself or with a friend, please do go through the website. If you are coming with the family or in a larger group we’d recommend you either call the cathedral or visit the cathedral shop. They will help you sit with each other and enjoy the show with your party.
Fun, laughter and gin in the Three Cripples pub. Photo: Richard Hall
Fun, laughter and gin in the Three Cripples pub. Photo: Richard Hall
The simple fact is these new tickets will sell out, so heed our advice and get them as quickly as you can!
You may be able to see from the pictures in this article the hard work, the tough grind, and in some instances the quite literal back breaking effort, our actors are putting in to create an amazing show. But importantly, you will also see the immense joy. We all know we are part of something very special indeed.
Frances Duke will be playing Widow Corney and Mrs Bedwin. Photo: Richard Hall
Emily Norton as Nancy. Photo: Richard Hall
Many of you I’m sure have seen good and bad theatre, perhaps this might be your first experience of a show. In my time I have seen many a wonderful and many a poor performance, and if honest a whole lot in-between. But every now and again, I see something I cherish, I’m grateful for being there and I’m not quite the same afterward. Just occasionally something else occurs and an audience is transported in ways we did not expect.
We aim to do this for you, we want to transport you to Victorian England, and release you back out on to the streets of Lincoln with a few things to consider.
Oliver! runs at Lincoln Cathedral from August 5 to August 16 (excluding Sundays) from 6.45pm.
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The Lincolnite welcomes your views. All comments are reactively-moderated and must obey the house rules. Please stay on topic and be respectful of other readers.
New homes and businesses in Cherry Willingham could open the way for a new marina to be built if plans are approved.
West Lindsey District Council backed in 2018 the “Willingham Fen Marina” project – which included a 220 berth marina, 155 homes and businesses, and now the first phase of the project has been submitted for final approval.
Documents before the authority said applicant Dean Sempers had already spent £3 million on initial engineering works on the marina, but that the houses were needed to both reimburse the spending and enable the project to move ahead further.
“What can be taken from this is the huge commitment shown by the landowner to bring this project forward,” said the report.
“It should be clear to any observer that the marina will now come to fruition as soon as it is possible to deliver moorings to the basin.
“Any concerns that the enabling development might be ‘cherry picked’ and the various public benefits not implemented should certainly now be alleviated.”
Plans for how the area could be laid out when finished.
The business will include 663 sqm of flexible employment spaces across three buildings, while the houses will be a mix of two and two-and-a-half storey builds, which have also been developed to help deliver working from home opportunities.
“This proposal demonstrates a well-connected development that responds to an understanding of the site’s context within the open countryside, but also provides a new, integrated part of Cherry Willingham, taking design and place-making cues from the most positive aspects of the village’s character,” said the report.
Street scenes presented to West Lindsey District Council.
Street scenes presented to West Lindsey District Council.
There were 5,405 cases of coronavirus last week in Greater Lincolnshire, as health secretary Sajid Javid insists Christmas will be “normal” after £5.9billion have been earmarked for NHS improvements.
The figure is just down on the 5,589 (about -3.29%) cases on the previous week – despite a record breaking day last Wednesday with 965 cases. There were 1,354 new cases over the weekend.
The latest government data also shows there have been 14 deaths of Lincolnshire residents this week – one fewer than 15 last week – and, due to data not being updated over the weekend, eight deaths reported at Greater Lincolnshire’s hospitals, up from six last week.
The latest COVID stats for Lincolnshire are:
1,354 new cases of coronavirus in Greater Lincolnshire over the weekend with 1,004 in Lincolnshire, 167 in North East Lincolnshire and 183 in North Lincolnshire
Six further deaths were recorded in the government figures including four Lincolnshire residents and two North East Lincolnshire
Hospital data is not updated at the weekend
Appearing on BBC Breakfast this morning, health secretary Sajid Javid has said it is not necessary to start put the government’s Plan B into action.
He told the show the that COVID was “unpredictable” and that he wouldn’t want to predict where it was going to be.
However, he said: “For all those people like me that are hoping and planning for a normal Christmas – which I do, by the way, think that’s where we’ll be, we’ll have a normal Christmas – if we want let’s just keep playing our part.”
Mr Javid also confirmed he wanted to make it mandatory for NHS staff to be double vaccinated against COVID-19, saying it was “only right for someone working in the NHS” due to their close proximity to the virus and the vulnerable.
He announced the NHS in England would get an extra £5.9 billion in the budget to cut down waiting lists.
Alongside opening new community clinics for scans and tests, it will include:
£1.5bn to be spent on more beds, equipment and new “surgical hubs”
£2.1bn to be spent on improving IT and digital technology within the NHS
Coronavirus data for Greater Lincolnshire on Sunday, October 24
133,268 cases (up 1,354)
88,645 in Lincolnshire (up 1,004)
21,787 in North Lincolnshire (up 183)
22,836 in North East Lincolnshire (up 167)
2,390 deaths (up six)
1,746 from Lincolnshire (up four)
328 from North Lincolnshire (no change)
316 from North East Lincolnshire (up two)
of which 1,434 hospital deaths (no change)
880 at United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust (no change)
44 at Lincolnshire Community Health Service hospitals (no change)
1 at Lincolnshire Partnership Foundation Trust (no change)
509 in Northern Lincolnshire (NLAG) (no change)
DATA SOURCE — FIGURES CORRECT AT THE TIME OF THE LATEST UPDATE. POSTCODE DATA INCLUDES DEATHS NOT IN HEALTHCARE FACILITIES OR IN HOSPITALS OUTSIDE AUTHORITY BOUNDARIES.
Reconstruction works on a key commuting route in Gainsborough will start this week, prompting up to six weeks of overnight road closures.
The carriageway at Bridge Street and Ropery Road needs reconstructing, and work will begin on Monday, October 25.
There will be rolling night-time closures on both streets from 6pm to 2am Monday to Friday, and only the section of road being worked on that particular evening will be closed.
The works are expected to last up to six weeks, subject to suitable weather, as the roads reach the end of their serviceable life.
The diversion route for the schedule of works at Ropery Road and Bridge Street in Gainsborough. | Photo: Lincolnshire County Council
The diversion route will be via A159 Trinity Street / Beaumont Street / North Street / Morton Terrace / Morton Road and vice versa.
Clio Perraton-Williams, county councillor for Scotter Rural and executive support councillor for highways, said: “When we start, the team will be carrying work out overnight, beginning in the south and working north.
“We’ll be doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum including only closing the sections of road being worked on at the time, placing signage out so drivers know where the road is closed, and maintaining access for residents as often as it’s safe to do so.
“I want to thank everyone in advance for their patience. Once complete, these improvements will make travelling around Gainsborough much safer and more comfortable for all road users.”
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