Passion play – Good Friday HT600

Our Passion Play is a dramatic presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus: his trial, suffering and death.

It has been described as “the greatest story ever told”

It is a live performance moving through the streets of Hull’s old town and has a 40 strong volunteer cast.

This is part of the HT600 program for Hull Minster to celebrate their 600th anniversary celebrations.

It will take place in Hull Old Town on Good Friday 18th April 2025 11am – 12.30pm. It will start at Hull Minster Trinity Square, move to Queen Victoria Square and then return to Trinity Square for the crucifixion.

There is no charge. We work on the donation system.

The play will be performed, by narrated mime.

Accessibility – The play moves from Hull Minster to Queen Victoria Square and back again. The audience should be able to make their own way along the route. The route is flat and is wheelchair accessible. No seating is provided. There are public benches along the way. 

The Passion Play Easter Story

Scene 1 – Trinity Square

This is the story of an amazing man, who achieved astonishing things. He lived in Israel and spent most of his life as a joiner in a small town in the North of the country. Around the year 28AD he became a wandering healer and preacher. Thousands followed him, but in his capital city some powerful people became jealous and arrested him on a trumped-up charge.

Scene 2 – Queen Victoria Square

He is framed by an illegally held court, and found guilty of blasphemy, for claiming to be God. The charge carried the death penalty, but Palestine was occupied by Rome, who did not allow them to execute anyone, so they must refer it to the Roman governor. His friends let him down badly. One has betrayed his whereabouts, another pretends he doesn’t even know him, and the rest desert him because they are terrified of meeting the same fate.

Scene 3 – Queen Victoria Square

The governor knows he is innocent and is a little afraid of his calm and authoritative prisoner. He tries to release him, but the fickle crowd turns against him. To curry favour, the governor condemns him to death for treason against the emperor, because he claimed to be a king, even though he said his kingdom was not of this world. He is dragged in shame to his death outside the city through the gate used for the disposal of rubbish.

Scene 4 – Trinity Square

The Romans ruled the world with a powerful and brutal army. Crucifixion was one of the most hideous tortures and means of execution ever invented, It inflicted appalling pain and humiliation.

The End and the Beginning He was buried on a Friday in a tomb like a cave, with a large stone rolled in front of the entrance. On the Sunday morning his followers found the tomb empty, and they tell us they met with him alive again. Many of them were badly mistreated, imprisoned and themselves executed for saying this, but nothing could stop them telling the world he was risen from the dead. Every Sunday, millions still celebrate his resurrection, and they talk to him as if he were still alive. They are convinced he is.