First World War Centenary

Tickets have gone on sale for the Festival at 4.30 which will have a full youth orchestra, the Orchestrate! Project and singers drawn from all over the county together with members of the Dance Estelle School along with the Winterton Marine Cadets. The event will also pay tribute to the centenary of the RAF and to the WW1 Norfolk heroine Nurse Edith Cavell.

The Great Yarmouth Civic Festival of Remembrance started at St.George's Theatre in 2014 to mark the beginning of the Great War and became an annual event. This year will see it held on Remembrance Sunday and at the Hippodrome  becoming a county event with the Mayor, Mary Coleman joined by the Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk, Richard Jewson.

'It was always our hope that we could mark this special date at the Hippodrome where we can accommodate a much larger audience and cast,' said Borough Council civic events manager Laura Goodman, 'This famous venue has been described as East Anglia's mini Royal Albert Hall so it is fitting we can stage on our doorstep something like the national Royal British Legion Festival of Remembrance with its poppies fluttering down during the two minutes silence.'

Laura added it was also important to have young people playing the major part: 'I am so pleased we have got so many youngsters involved in what will be a very memorable and moving event.' Former BBC Radio Norfolk broadcaster Tony Mallion is hosting and directing the event working together with Laura, choreographer Estelle Clifton and musical director John Stephens whose Orchestrate! Project orchestra will play a leading role. The Winterton Cadets will be involved and will once again build the Drum Head altar for the Remembrance service and two minutes silence which will be led by the Mayor's Chaplain, the Rev Albert Cadmore.

'I am pleased that we can also highlight Edith Cavell who will be played by local actress Judi Daykin who will bring us an excerpt from her very moving one woman show about  the famous WW1 nurse,' said Tony Mallion. 'The Hippodrome with all its facilities gives us the chance to make this a very special one off event in which we can reflect but also celebrate. There will be plenty of opportunity for the audience to join in.'

The Festival of Remembrance will be part of other local events on November 11^th including a piper playing The Battle's Over outside Great Yarmouth Minster at 6 am and the annual civic service in St.George's Park in the morning. The Festival of Remembrance at 4.30 will last for around an hour and a half with the day rounding off with the lighting of the beacon and other celebrations on the seafront Golden Mile near Joyland around 7 pm.

Tickets for the Festival of Remembrance cost £10 and are available now from the Hippodrome Box Office on 01493 844172 or online www.hippodromecircus.co.uk