Pantomime is to go ahead at Chelmsford City Theatres this year with a run of Covid-secure performances of Sleeping Beauty, between November 27 and January 3.
Chelmsford City Theatres, along with venues across the country, closed their doors in March. Although some performances have been streamed from the theatre over the summer, the Christmas panto is the first physical production to get the green light since the pandemic began.
The theatres are run by Chelmsford City Council. Deputy Leader Cllr Marie Goldman hopes Sleeping Beauty will be a lifeline to the city’s cultural scene at a devastating time. She said: “As long as government restrictions allow, we’ll be going ahead with our panto this year, employing actors, musicians, and technicians to bring this festive production to our city.”
Only 30 percent of main auditorium seats will be used to keep theatregoers a safe distance apart.
Other measures, from one-way systems to extra cleaning between performances, will also be in place.
The annual panto is a co-production with One From The Heart, a production company who have been creating pantomimes for Chelmsford Theatres for 14 years.
Theatre staff will contact customers who booked tickets before lockdown to allocate seats. Once existing bookings places have been filled, all remaining tickets will go on sale. Customers will be able to have a full refund, if they wish.
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