How to get an elephant into Sheffield’s historic cathedral

Staging a classic Gothic romance in Sheffield Cathedral does pose its own problems

Nor has the question of how to sail a gondola through the historic building ever been very likely to tax clerical intellects.

And there’s no chance at all that generations of bishops have pondered how to accommodate a mad musician with a hacksaw, bringing down a chandelier on the heads of the horrified congregation below.

These are, however, the problems facing director Sallianne Foster-Major as she brings Easy Street Theatre Company’s production of classic romantic thriller The Phantom of the Opera to one of Sheffield’s most iconic edifices.

Sheffield Cathedral will have its own starring role in the new production of The Phantom of the Opera

Easy Street Theatre Company - voted best Youth Theatre in the North East 2020 and 2021 - is bringing the tale of thwarted passion amid the splendour of the Paris Opera House to the Cathedral in May.

The celebrated story of the masked phantom and his obsession with beautiful young opera singer Christine Daae is the company’s most ambitious musical production to date.

And even though there are some major challenges in bringing such a popular show to such an unusual venue, Sallianne promises that all the features audiences enjoy so much will be very much in evidence on opening night.

“We don’t want to give too much away about how the chandelier effect will happen but, just as in every other production, it will start the show on the stage floor, then fly above the stage - and will come crashing down at the end of the first act,” Sallianne says.

“We have drawn up our plans and know exactly what we need to do and we are confident that it will work and be just as impressive as we can make it.”

Similarly, the gondola which the Phantom uses to take his young musical protégé to his hidden lair in the catacombs beneath the opera house will be present - along with the collection of candelabras that add an extra element of gothic mystery and romance to the scene.

“Again, we have it all planned on paper even though we don’t actually know quite yet how it will work - but it will,” Sallianne says.

One of the things she is most looking forward to is actually incorporating the cathedral itself into the fabric of the show - the historic pulpit, for instance, will become the Opera House’s notorious haunted Box Number Five.

There will be moments too when the cast filter out into the wider space, especially a lantern lit search through the the Opera House cellars for the elusive spectre and the young soprano.

It is certainly the biggest show the Easy Street team - including Musical Director Gareth Lloyd and Amanda Tyas, the choreographer/junior co- ordinator - have yet presented, with a cast of almost 30 young actors, singers and dancers and an orchestra of 26 student and professional musicians.

“I am enjoying it enormously even though it is an enormous undertaking,” Sallianne admits.

“I am very excited, though I am also a little bit anxious about how it will all come together and work.”

In fact, there’s perhaps only one thing now that Sallianne remains truly concerned about.

“It’s the elephant!” she laughs. “We are struggling with that because we haven’t got one yet - but I’m sure we will.”

The Phantom of the Opera will be at Sheffield Cathedral on May 2, 3, 4 and 6 and tickets ranging in price from £8 to £15 are now available via the Easy Street website at www.easystreettheatre.org or from Sheffield Cathedral.