Easter Passion play comes to Trafalgar Square

Thousands of people turned out in the sunshine yesterday to watch Jesus’s death and resurrection acted out in a free Passion play.

More than 100 actors featured in the performance in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The production was put together by the Wintershall Players, who perform the life of Jesus at Wintershall in Surrey each summer. It was written and produced by Peter Hutley and directed by theatre producer Ashley Herman.

They were supported by a company of volunteers from around London and the South East.

The production depicted scenes from the final days of Jesus’s life as well as his crucifixion and the miracle of the empty tomb. The cast also included horses and a donkey.

Large crowds took their seats on the steps outside the National Gallery and on the ground around the square, where the cast moved in and out as they brought the story to life.

The weather just held out as the sky clouded over towards the production’s end and the temperature dipped.

Edward Hutley, who played Pontius Pilate in the production, said there were “a lot of people crying”.

“We live in an age where people sit in front of computers and this is real, this happened, and it’s shaped our lives whether you believe in God or not,” he said.