Catacombs tours return with new stories this September

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St George's Hall

Explore the depths of St George's Hall with new, compelling theatrical stories in the Catacombs of Liverpool's darkest history

The increasingly popular theatrical Catacombs tours of St George’s Hall Liverpool return this September, with brand new stories in the next instalment of The Catacombs Of Liverpool’s Darkest History. This is the fifth series of tours which follows hugely successful sell-out runs in March and June.

The new tours will run from Monday September 28–Sunday October 4, with four tours each evening at 18.00, 18.45, 19.30 and 20.15. Tickets are priced at £15 per person.

Back by popular demand, the tours explore the most chilling and infamous of crimes from Liverpool’s dark past, with the shocking tales recreated within the cells and catacombs of Liverpool’s most celebrated and historic building.

St George's Hall can be aptly described as a capsule for Liverpool’s history; whilst the rich and influential enjoyed the grandeur and opulence that the Great Hall had to offer, there existed a harsher reality in the cells below. Men, women and children crammed into tiny stifled cells awaiting their punishment. Nowhere in the city could you find a more relevant space to animate some of the darkest elements of Liverpool’s criminal past.

Theatrical company Lovehistory who produce the Catacomb series, can promise that these new promenade tours will be the most compelling to date consisting of powerful theatrical performances that will undoubtedly move their audience.

The promenade performances will lead the audience into the dark cells below where those waiting to be condemned would spend their final moments. In the dark shadows of Liverpool’s history, visitors will encounter the characters and witness a series of thought provoking and expertly choreographed scenes of Liverpool murders, torment and cruelty. Behind every dark corner lies a hidden story which will be exposed.

LoveHistory can reveal the first of the new stories to be featured in this new series of tours. Hear the heinous tale of the 1931 murder of Julia Wallace, one of the most baffling crimes to ever hit Liverpool.

After a mysterious caller sent Julia’s husband, William Herbert Wallace, on a wild goose chase looking for a street that didn’t exist he returned to find his wife brutally slain in their own home. A sensational trial followed and William came within inches of being executed for his wife’s murder however the lack of evidence spared him. This was only the start of the story however as the inexplicable aspects of the case that saved William’s life continues to intrigue amateur sleuths to this day.

This tale of murder and mystery will be expertly recreated along with other shocking stories which will be announced in due course, by a team of professional actors who will leave audiences spines tingling as they discover the gruesome details of the innocent victims, the not so innocent perpetrators of these vicious crimes and those who carried out the sentence of the court – the executioner.

Judy McLean, Creative Director of Lovehistory, commented: "We at Lovehistory are all very excited to return to St George's Hall in September with a fifth series of Catacomb Tours. We have had thousands attend these tours and what has been the most pleasing for us has been people’s reaction to the stories we tell and how we tell them. These shows always seem to exceed people's expectations due to the quality of the production. It's a fantastic building and so relevant to history of the city."

The Catacombs Of Liverpool’s Darkest History promises to be the most haunting and gripping tour to date.

For further information, visit www.lovehistory.co.uk or www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk.

New Catacombs tours confirmed for June following sell-out success

Written By: Mark Armstrong

Provided By: St George's Hall

Explore St George's Hall with new stories - "The Catacombs of Liverpool's darkest history"

The increasingly popular theatrical Catacombs tours of St George’s Hall will return by popular demand in June with new darker stories.

This is the fourth series of Catacombs stories and follows a successful sell-out run earlier this year.

Visitors to St George’s Hall in June will experience ‘The Catacombs Of Liverpool’s Darkest History’, peeling back the layers of yesteryear to reveal what lies within the heart of Liverpool’s most celebrated building.

The new tours will run for six consecutive days between Monday June 15 and Saturday June 20, and for the first time, they will feature five tours each evening at 6.00pm, 6.45pm, 7.30pm, 8.15pm and 9.00pm; tickets are priced at £15 per person per tour.

St George's Hall is widely regarded as one of the finest neo-classical buildings in the world and is a Grade I listed building, yet many people are still yet to discover its mysterious past and stories dating back to a dark history.

The Catacombs of Liverpool’s Darkest History is staged by theatrical company Lovehistory Ltd, who return to St George’s Hall for the fourth series of stories, with this latest collection being the darkest yet. The Lovehistory actors will bring new characters and their stories from Liverpool’s murderous past to life before the eyes of visitors.

Previous Lovehistory Catacombs sell-out tours have seen over 1,000 visitors descend on St George’s Hall in one week to hear the series of stories. Lovehistory will present new stories from Liverpool’s darker past for this fourth series. The stunning theatrical performances are guarantees to send chills down the spine.

These promenade performances will take you into the dark cells below the grandness of the Great Hall, where those waiting to be condemned would spend their final moments. In the dark shadows of Liverpool’s history, visitors will encounter characters telling their tormented tales. Behind every dark corner lies a hidden story which has not been heard for over 100 years.

New stories include that of Captain Henry Rogers, the sadistic ship’s captain who was hanged for the murder of one of his crew. Then there is the bare knuckle boxing fight that left a man dead and the other at the mercy of the judge. Hear these stories and more come back to life in The Catacombs of Liverpool’s Darkest History.

These spellbinding tours uncover the tales of past criminals who were hanged for their crimes, those who were judged and sentenced by law, and those who carried out the sentence of the court – the executioner.

Judy McLean, Creative Director of Lovehistory, commented: “We are very pleased to be running a fourth series of these unique theatrical tours. I can’t think of anything more relevant to the city than to tell the stories of our past in this way. We all learn about kings and queens in school but these re-enactments reveal not only the stories about the characters but they also portray a way of life of the men, women and children who lived in dire poverty, and those who were punished by law and sent to their death.

“Although some of the content can be quite dark we try to make these tours informative and entertaining. What we have seen with the tours is that everybody seems to take away something different from them, and we are now looking forward to telling these new stories in St George's Hall and bringing forgotten tales back to life.”

Alan Smith, St George’s Hall Manager, added: “The Catacombs Tours have proved extremely popular, with visitors returning for each new series to hear all about the lives of the new characters. The Catacombs provide the perfect backdrop for darker theatrical events, which give visitors the opportunity to explore St George’s Hall from a whole new perspective. We look forward to welcoming back Lovehistory and their team of talented actors for this fourth series. We anticipate another sell-out and wish them well for a successful run.”

For further details, visit www.lovehistory.co.uk or www.stgeorgesliverpool.co.uk.