Geraldine - a Maison Dieu grotesque - was magically brought to life, as she and a colourful cast of characters, entertained an appreciative audience of nearly 200 people with hidden stories of the building, songs, dance and interactive participation.

The show, which took place in St Mary’s Church on Wed 19 July 2023, was performed by nearly 20 talented young performers from The Dover Youth Theatre and included scenes inspired by the building’s role as a medieval Pilgrim hospital, victualling yard for the Royal Navy and Dover Town Hall.

Geraldine, wearing a splendid mask created by sculptor Gareth Winters, and inspired by a real Maison Dieu grotesque, took historian Ian (played in different scenes by Noel Hudson, Stanley Lawson Macgregor and Angelo Jenu) on a whistle-stop time-travel adventure. Geraldine was played by 5 different actors as the play progressed (Emily Grilli, Amelie Taylor, Bronte Lake, Elsie Berken and Jessica Gee).

The drama opened with the Maison Dieu as a medieval hospital (or place of hospitality), welcoming poor pilgrims and serving them bowls of pottage (vegetable stew). The medieval monks, played by some of the youngest members of the cast, learnt to sing an original piece of medieval plainchant (Veni Creator Spiritus) in Latin!

Stories from the Stone Hall stained-glass windows featured, including a spirited portrayal of the defence of Dover Castle by Hubert de Burgh (Samuel Kearney), and the landing of Charles II (Jessica Gee) on Dover Beach in 1660. In one of the show’s most memorable moments, Jessica popped up from the pulpit in a crimson cloak and long curly wig to announce to the people of Dover it was time to party! My name is Charles II, a song made popular by the Horrible Histories TV programme and sung by Stanley Lawson Macgregor, went down a storm.

Bertie Lawson Macgregor made an excellent Seamus, whipping his new recruits into shape in lively fashion in the Maison Dieu Victualling Yard, leading sea-shanty singing (What shall we do with the drunken sailor?) and extolling the virtues of rock-hard ship’s biscuit. One crew member, Ramsey (played by Lily Setters and inspired by chef Gordon Ramsey), unwisely took a bite and promptly lost a tooth!

The rags to riches story of the Minet family was particularly well told, including the arrival of impoverished Huguenot refugee Isaac Minet (Richie George) in an open boat, fleeing religious persecution in France, and their rise to become one of the wealthiest families in Dover.

The children of Hughes Minet (Noel Hudson, Jude Durkin, and Reina George) sitting for a portrait by acclaimed court artist Joseph Highmore (Sophie Longhurst) was most amusing, as they pulled faces, changed places, played games and fought with each other, driving the poor old man to drink!

Rousing support was received by Emmeline Pankhurst (Bronte Lake) whose passionate plea for women’s suffrage pulled on many a heartstring, and whose fight was valiantly taken forward in Dover, at the Maison Dieu and elsewhere, by suffragettes Alice Barlow (Jessica Gee), Lorna Bomford (Isabelle Fletcher) and Annie Brunyate (Amelie Taylor) who are all commemorated on a plaque in the Maison Dieu Stone Hall.

Special guests for the evening were Councillor Susan Jones, the Mayor of Dover, and Councillor Gordon Cowan, Chairman of Dover District Council, who got more than he bargained for, when dragged on-stage to gamely play the part of Horace - an anti-suffragist - in the play How the Vote was Won, and who changed his mind, after a stay with his elderly aunt.

The drama was created by Dover Youth Theatre as part of the Maison Dieu’s community outreach programme. It was made possible with generous funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Dover district and town councils, the Cleary Foundation and the Jack Hewitt Fund. The script was written by Daniel Drysdale and directed by Marie Kelly. Choreography was by Tamzin Dunstone.

Starring in the performance were Elsie Birken, Emmie Cookson, Jude Durkin, Emily Feldman, Isabelle Fletcher, Jessica Gee, Reina George, Richie George, Emily Grilli, Noel Hudson, Angelo Jenu, Samuel Kearney, Bronte Lake, Bertie Lawson Macgregor, Stanley Lawson Macgregor, Sophie Longhurst, Lily Setters and Amelie Taylor.