Lincoln premiere for Tennyson's tragic tale

A film adaptation of a poem by Lincolnshire's most famous bard has premiered on the big screen.

The 10-minute short of The Lady of Shalott by Alfred, Lord Tennyson was shown to an audience of several hundred at Lincoln's Odeon cinema yesterday.

Actors including Ben Poole (front centre) who plays Alfred Lord Tennyson, during the premiere of the Lady of Shalott film at the Odeon cinema in Lincoln.

It shows Tennyson narrate the poem at a Christmas party, before cutting away to scenes inspired by paintings about the poem.

The dramatisation which features Lincolnshire actors and craftsmen, was created by WAG Screen, the film arm of the Washingborough Archaeology Group.

Director Nick Loven (29) said the idea was inspired by the bicentenary of Tennyson's birth this year.

"When we realised Tennyson's anniversary was coming up, it seemed very fitting," said Mr Loven, who previously directed the Luttrell Psalter film about county landowners.

"We decided to have the poem acted out as it would have been a bit dull to just have a reading of it.

"It was also very important to make the scenes as authentic as possible, and we took inspiration from John William Waterhouse's The Lady of Shalott."

Cast members turned out in full dress costume for the screening of the £50,000 film.

The Echo helped launch a search for local actors in June last year. Actress Victoria Rigby (18), from Grantham plays the fated lady.

The film will be on show alongside an exhibition at The Collection in Danes Terrace, Lincoln, from May 30.

For more on The Lady of Shalott film, see Saturday's Echo.