THE community at Bolton Abbey's Priory Church is praying for good weather next weekend as members of the congregation get ready to stage a 21st century equivalent of a medieval mystery play.
Supported by the Bolton Abbey Drama Group, members of the congregation under the direction of Jo Craven will perform their mystery play next Saturday and Sunday, July 4 and 5, in the atmospheric surroundings of the Priory.
It will be the first Bolton Abbey pageant to be held for nine years
The cast of local actors will portray the life of Jesus in 12 short scenes.
The play will begin and end in the Priory Church, but will also take in other parts of the Priory grounds, and will include a realistic enactment of the Baptism of Jesus in the River Wharfe.
Other tableaux include the Wedding at Cana and Christ's entrance to Jerusalem, which will involve crowd scenes.
There will be no charge to see the play, beyond the normal admission charges for the estate, and everyone is welcome.
The performance begins in church at 2pm on both days.
The rector, the Rev Simon Cowling, said: "Mystery Plays in the middle ages were wonderful community events, and we look forward to welcoming people in their hundreds at the beginning of July in an atmosphere of celebration."
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