‘Great regret’
jessica.mercer@reachplc.com
THE Everyman Theatre’s annual pantomime has been cancelled this year. The Cheltenham theatre said it had been forced to postpone its 2020 performance of Jack and the Beanstalk due to safety fears.
In a statement, the Regent Street venue said it was with “great regret” that it made the announcement.
It added: “We will now be presenting Jack and the Beanstalk, starring Tweedy in November 2021.”
The venue said the production was designed for a full auditorium and to carry on with its plans would present “too much risk”.
It added: “As the theatre closure, due to the Covid crisis, has extended beyond six months it has become apparent that our originally planned production, designed for a full auditorium, would present too much risk.
“With strict social-distancing measures now in place, and likely to be in place for the remainder of this calendar year, the scheduled production of Jack and the Beanstalk is untenable this season.”
The Everyman Theatre closed doors temporarily in March.
But it added the team was “working diligently behind the scenes” to reopen when it would be able to return at full capacity.
It added: “Booking your tickets now will help us toward that goal and ensure that we celebrate the new season with the full glitz and glamour that you’ve its come to expect from the Everyman Theatre Pantomime.”
The theatre has been running “pilot performances” with reduced capacity and social-distancing measures in place and the statement said: “These shows will not mark a return to normality, but they will allow us to determine the viability of socially distanced events during this temporary diversion from our normal business. We remain positive that the new year will see a loosening of the current restrictions and a return to full operating capacity.
“We thank you for your ongoing support and your continued commitment to the future of the Everyman.
“Booking your tickets for the rescheduled performances of Jack and the Beanstalk and our other upcoming productions is the best way to show your support for what we do.
“We will keep you updated on the success of our pilot socially distanced productions, our rescheduled 2020 events and the star-studded new productions we will welcome in 2021.
“We hope to see you all at the theatre very soon.”