Name: A Lamentable Tragedy
Start: 2026-05-02T15:00:00+01:00
End: 2026-05-03T20:30:00+01:00
Location: Lincoln's Historic Guildhall

A Tale of M**der, Loyalty, and Sixteenth-Century Justice
About this Event

A Lamentable Tragedy

'Gain waits on courage, loss on cowardice...'

Homicide, the personification of M**der, is frustrated by his attempts to manipulate the populace of this fine town to satisfy his blood lust, until Avarice finds for him the perfect candidate: Thomas Merry, an amiable publican with an empty purse and a secret, jealous heart to glut his blood-delighted eye. Rachel, Thomas’s sister, is presented with an impossible dilemma: turn her brother in and suffer the shame of familial betrayal, or help him cover up his crimes and risk the hangman’s noose herself.

As Thomas’s old retainer Williams keeps his distance, and his secrets, drowning his sorrows in a bar while dismembered parts of Thomas’s victim Beech start showing up all over town. This prompts the local Neighbourhood Watch, led by it’s indomitable Chair, Baker, to spring into action; carefully piecing together who could have committed this horrific crime, and who has tried to K*ll Beech’s young servant Winchester, who lies comatose with hammer in his head but might yet hold the key to the whole story...

History

This play is part of Lincoln's 2026 Festival of History. It was based on a real M**der which took place in London in the late 16th century, and was adapted into a play in 1601 by Robert Yarrington (although the authorship disputed), alongside a (unrelated and probably fictitious) account of another M**der in Italy to form an elaborate piece now known as 'Two Lamentable Tragedies'. We have chose to focus on the first M**der in this production (altered the name accordingly!). The second play may be reserved for another occation.

Peformances

Four perfomances will take place at Lincoln's Historic Guildhall, Saltergate, LN1 1DH.

Saturday 2nd May - 3pm and 7pm

Sunday 3rd May - 3pm and 7pm

Entry is free

We welcome donations for the Soldiers', Sailors', and Airmen's Families Association.

Please note that this play is recommended for ages 16+ due to depictions of violence.

We would like to thank Chloe Miller for our publicity photos. We are also grateful to the wonderful teams at Lincoln Labour Club & Institute and Lincoln's Historic Guildhall for providing us space to rehearse and perform. Without them, this production would not be possible.