Beauty and the Beast

Get involved with this great project and start knitting sweet hearts for the Georgian Theatre Royal's annual pantomime appeal

Fancy a Beauty-ful knitting project to keep you going through the long evenings inside? Then the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond, has just the project for you. But watch out – it's behind you!

A KNITTING TRADITION

Every year, the Georgian Theatre puts out an appeal to the local community for knitted items to be incorporated into its annual pantomime. Last year, thousands of knitted lightbulbs were made to be thrown at Abanazer in the production of Aladdin, while previous years have seen knitted apples, doughnuts, leaves and more. Once the pantomine is over, the Theatre finds good homes for all the items, with last year's lightbulbs going to a local RSPB nature reserve for a yarn bombing display, as well as to nursery schools for use in craft and numeracy projects.

This year, the pantomime will be Beauty and the Beast, and the Theatre is hoping for knitted hearts to use during the 56 performances running from 4 December 2020 to 10 January

2021. But isn't it a little early to be thinking about Christmas? Well, this is a pretty unusual summer…

"Several of our regular knitters have been in touch to see if they can start knitting for the pantomime in order to pass the time," explains manager Clare Allen. "We normally launch the appeal at the end of the summer so that people can start knitting as the nights draw in, but as most of us are confined to our homes, right now does seem like an ideal time to get your needles out."

HEART TO HEART

The heart pattern has been tested by volunteer Jen Capewell. “It is quite easy and can be adapted as people wish," she says. "The hearts can be in all colours and made from di erent types of wool."

Finished hearts should be sent to the box o ce when the Theatre is able to re-open again. The final date for receipt of hearts is 28 November 2020.

Head to www.georgian theatreroyal.co.uk/shows/Beautythe Beast.aspx to download the pattern.

Want to know more?

The pretty heart design is an easy, colourful knit

Abanazer was pelted with knitted lightbulbs last year!

Every year, knitters bring a community feel to the panto