Blackpool Grand Theatre postpones panto 2020
After careful consideration and based on the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture Media and Sport’s reiteration that the government will not be providing further guidance on theatres operating without social distancing until November at the earliest, Blackpool Grand has made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020/21 pantomime Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs.
Blackpool Grand are not saying goodbye entirely to their renowned Pantomime, Hurrah! BBC Radio Lancashire’s Steve Royle and special guests will return in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs for the Christmas 2021-22 season.
If you have a reservation or booking with Blackpool Grand for Pantomime this year the Grand’s Covid-reduced box office team will be in touch from the 14 September 2020. They ask customers not to worry, they need not contact the theatre at this stage, everyone will be assisted and contacted for next year’s show. The process could take up to 6-weeks.
This decision has not been made easily, after assessing the options open to them in relation to social distancing as well as the financial risk (and the producers), but most importantly that they believe customers need to experience a pantomime with a large audience full of families and schools who can interact with the actors on stage, as that is the true beauty and tradition of pantomime. With the theatre being unable to achieve that this year, the theatre says postponing until next year feels like the most sensible, fair, and safe option. The well-being of customers, staff and performers must be their priority.
Ruth Eastwood, Grand Theatre Chief Executive added ‘Like our theatregoers we are incredibly disappointed that we will be unable to stage our fantastic pantomime this Christmas but are pleased that this is only a temporary postponement and that Steve Royle will star in Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs in December 2021.
This yearly event is part of the very foundations of the Blackpool Grand and we cannot stress how after decades of pantomime we are devastated to be unable to proceed this year.’
Martin Dodd UK Productions Ltd Producer said ‘I have produced Blackpool Grand’s award-winning panto for twenty-five years. I am proud that it is one of the highlights of the entertainment calendar – so this is very sad news indeed for The Grand and theatres all over the UK – but understandable given the current safety restrictions in place for theatres and the financial viability to produce a show of the highest quality that Blackpool loves and has come to expect. We would be doing our audiences a disservice by presenting a scaled back version of the show and therefore we feel that to postpone is the only option. Working with the theatre we are eagerly looking forward to its return in December 2021.’
PLEASE DO NOT CONTACT BLACKPOOL GRAND THEATRE AT THIS STAGE, if you have reserved or booked seats, we will email (subject to permissions) or call you with full instructions and options. You will of course have the option to; transfer tickets to a different performance of Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs, a 12-month credit to your Grand Theatre account, or a refund if you cannot make your rescheduled performance date. Please note that due to overwhelming demand phones lines are currently outgoing only.
Download the 2021/22 Panto schedule here
Eastwood added ‘We would like to sincerely thank you for your patience, continued understanding and support in these difficult circumstances and we look forward to welcoming you back to Blackpool Grand soon.’
If you would like to book for any of the upcoming Christmas activities, watch the theatre’s social media channels or its website www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk