A new musical that celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) is coming to Selby Abbey.
Facing The Waves, by theatre company Dogwood Productions, is heading out on a 17-venue tour around the North East and will be performed in a variety of unique venues including the Chapel On The Hill in Whitby, Bridlington Lifeboat Station – and Selby Abbey.
Facing The Waves is at Selby Abbey on Wednesday 25 September 2024.
The show is helping to celebrate the RNLI’s 200th anniversary, with a story based in Whitby and featuring the stories of those who risk everything to help others.
The story will span across centuries, following Victorian hero Henry Freeman – the sole survivor of the 1861 Whitby lifeboat disaster – as he takes on the mantle of coxswain of the Whitby lifeboat. It will also jump ahead in time to follow Faith, a RLNI crew member, who is following in the footsteps of those who came before her.
Facing The Waves aims to showcase our relationship with the sea, the reality of living in coastal towns, the pressures facing those who crew the lifeboats, and ordinary people doing extraordinary things.
The musical features a score by composer Alastair Collingwood and is directed Antony Bellekom, who is a former director of BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. The cast are Eliza Shea, Duncan Drury and Roberta Bellekom.
Tickets start from £7.50 and are available online via Dogwood Productions’ website.