Any chance to see a panto this year? Oh yes there is!

MANY things have been put on the backburner this year – but one of the hardest hit industries of the festive period has been the pantomime.

The continued closure of theatres has put paid to the traditional way of enjoying a festive show – but it hasn’t

DESPITE coronavirus restrictions, Dundee Rep has a busy festive season ahead of it.

Although the usual Christmas show has been postponed, bosses at the theatre have launched a digital seasonal offer called Shine On.

Artistic director of the Rep and joint CEO of Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre Ltd, Andrew Panton (pictured), said: “We normally have a Christmas show and last year that was Oor Wullie: The Musical.

“Normally it would be a time where generally speaking it would be the longest of our runs.

“We would run for probably six or seven weeks and we would expect to see the highest level of footfall during that period.

“To not be able to welcome our audiences into the building is a big shift for us this year.

“Shine On, we are really proud of. It’s our alternative seasonal offer and comprises four parts.

“First is Advent. On our social media channels there will be a bespoke piece of entertainment from our acting ensemble and our dance ensemble every day from December

1-24. The whole process of the ensembles making these pieces of work will be covered in a documentary which is also called Shine

On and will be shown on December 28.

“That will be a behind the scenes look at how our ensembles and the whole organisation has been coping with this time and how we’ve continued to engage with stopped those behind the productions coming up with innovative ways of entertaining the masses.

We spoke to a range of theatres and drama groups across Tayside to find out if they would still be putting on a show. communities, our audiences and our participants.”

Andrew added that staff at the Rep were keen to not let audiences down.

He said: “For many families Christmas is maybe the one time they come to the theatre and it’s really important, as a responsibility for us because for young people and children, it might be their first experience of theatre and the arts.

“We are really keen not to let our audiences down and not to let our communities down and that’s why we’ve come up with Shine On so people can access it in lots of different ways, obviously Advent is coming out on social media, and Present will as well.”

Present will see four deserving members of the public win a piece of work tailored to them created by the acting and dance ensembles. The chosen people will also be surprised either at home, at work or another chosen location.

Andrew added: “We are really excited. There is a real buzz that we are making work and finding new ways to make work.

“I think that’s the thing about these parameters, it’s been a really challenging time for so many people and across the theatre sector and dance sector it’s been incredibly challenging.”

The fourth part of Shine On is Window where, from today, the front of the Rep building will feature a sound and light installation, narrated by well known Dundonian

Gary Robertson.