Worshippers at a Norwich church got a surprise when performers from a new theatre production began dancing and singing in the aisles.

Eastern Daily Press: The cast of Godspell, which will be playing T the Playhouse, lead the service at St Peter Mancroft Church, to the surprise of the congregation. Jesus, played by Will Arundell. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe cast of Godspell, which will be playing T the Playhouse, lead the service at St Peter Mancroft Church, to the surprise of the congregation. Jesus, played by Will Arundell. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: copyright: Archant 2014)

The cast of Godspell added a splash of colour to the congregation at St Peter Mancroft Church by conducting a flash mob performance at the beginning of the Sunday service this morning.

Singers from the East Anglian based company, Mixed Voice - dressed in florescent tutus, sparkly hats, colourful braces and headbands - sang some of their songs from their forthcoming musical at Norwich Playhouse.

The audience also witnessed a performance from Jesus wearing a white t-shirt and shorts.

Rev Peter Nokes, the canon of the Norwich city centre church, who is also the official chaplain of the Norwich Theatre Royal, said the church was proud of its theatrical connections.

Eastern Daily Press: The cast of Godspell, which will be playing T the Playhouse, lead the service at St Peter Mancroft Church, to the surprise of the congregation. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe cast of Godspell, which will be playing T the Playhouse, lead the service at St Peter Mancroft Church, to the surprise of the congregation. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: copyright: Archant 2014)

'It is an enormous pleasure to welcome the cast of Godspell. It is one of the few times I have not felt overdressed in this church!'

'They wanted to do a flash mob in order to advertise the show Godspell at the beginning of September and I suggested that they came here for the whole of the service,' he said.

The cast from Mixed Voice will be performing Godspell at the Norwich Playhouse from Wednesday September 3 to Saturday September 6.

Josh Lincoln, co-founder and director of the company, said: 'We started a few years ago trying to do some West End quality productions, but we have never done anything like this in a church.'

'We thought it was a good way to promote it and to do a flash mob and it is really useful for the show.'

Mixed Voice was formed in 2007 with the objective of bringing together East Anglia's best singers, dancers, actors and musicians to stage shows and events.

Godspell, which first opened in Broadway in 1971, is based on a series of parables, mostly based on the Gospel of Matthew.

John Fountain, a member of the congregation at St Peter Mancroft, said the show was a surprise to a number of the worshippers.

'The reaction from the congregation was really positive and I did not hear one negative comment. It was a very colourful and lively event,' he said.