Immersive production of Easter story coming to Horsham town centre

One Good Friday will bring the Easter story to life in two performances in the Carfax, from midday until 1.30pm and from 3.15pm to 4.45pm.

Rosemary Couchman, of Horsham Churches Together said: “Horsham won’t have seen anything like it.

“It’s an immersive theatrical experience. It’s a massive community effort.”

More than 100 volunteers are helping put on the play including more than 60 cast members, the majority of which are from Horsham according to Rosemary.

The Passion Play was first started in 1634 in Oberammergau, Germany.

Rosemary said she approached Wintershall, who have put on a Passion Play in Trafalgar Square for the last ten years with a view to bringing the production to the town.

She added: “They said ‘better still, rather than us bringing our Passion Play to you – we’re launching the One Good Friday 2020. You can sign up if you like with your own local cast’.”

The One Good Friday movement will see Passion Plays performed across the UK including in Liverpool, Bath and Horsham.

Horsham’s play, directed by Sarah Holloway, will take place in the Carfax on Good Friday.

Rosemary added: “This is a Year of Culture legacy event.

“It’s about educating people as well entertaining them.”

The organisers of the play interviewed five donkeys before deciding one named Peter will carry Jesus, played by Pete Bergen, in the performance.

Rosemary said: “We wanted him [Pete] to be able to mount the donkey easily. We were quite interested in a good gait.

“Some of them were just plodding donkeys.

“We have got an understudy donkey called Ellie.”

The Carfax will be split up into different areas of the Easter story, which the cast will move around during the performance.

The crucifixion scene will take place near the War Memorial with the Last Supper taking place in the amphitheatre and stage outside Dab Hands and Chococo.

From 11am to midday and between 1.30pm and 3.15pm there will be music from the Big Church Day Out at the Carfax Bandstand. For more see the onegoodfriday.com/horsham