February 11, 2021 3.45 pm This story is over 48 months old

Community theatre to return to Lincoln Cathedral next summer

They’ll be back after almost three years
Starring Lincoln Theatre Company creates acclaimed shows in the city with local people as the stars. | Photo from the set of Oliver! in 2019: Richard Hall
By Local Democracy Reporter

Lincoln Cathedral will host a theatre production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame next summer.

The event will be brought to the cathedral by Starring Lincoln Theatre Company, regular collaborators with Lincoln Cathedral.

Starring Lincoln will take everyone in attendance at the nave back to Paris in 1482, following the plot of Victor Hugo’s iconic novel.

It will be a stage musical version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, featuring songs from the 1996 Disney film of the same title.

The production will take place in summer 2022, with exact dates and prices still yet to be announced.

Play director Ben Poole. Photo: Steve Smailes for The Lincolnite

It is the next show lined up by Starring Lincoln under the direction of Ben Poole, who has seen great success with his previous productions of Jesus Christ Superstar, Jekyll and Hyde, and Oliver!

Ben said: “I am so excited about bringing this show to our beautiful cathedral, it is a perfect fit. Victor Hugo believed in the importance of preserving medieval architecture and incarnated Notre Dame as perhaps the most important character in his novel.

“Our shows are renowned for bringing hundreds of people together to participate.

“It will have been nearly three years since we have had the opportunity to do so due to the pandemic. I’m sure it will feel like a much needed celebration.”

Representatives of Lincoln Cathedral believe that this will be the first time ever that a production of Hunchback will be staged inside a cathedral.

It is expected to be a particularly poignant moment given the devastating fire that took place at Notre Dame in April 2019.

It will come as a welcome addition to the calendar, after Starring Lincoln had to cancel the already postponed production of Shrek at Lincoln Castle.

The Very Revd Christine Wilson, Dean of Lincoln said, “In the midst of another lockdown, when the Cathedral is necessarily, but heartbreakingly quiet, the thought of seeing the nave once again full of people gathered together to experience music and drama fills me with optimism.

“I hope that this announcement will bring some much needed cheer to people across Lincolnshire and beyond.”