Albany Theatre Postpones DICK WHITTINGTON

The Albany Theatre has postponed performances of "Dick Whittington" because of the COVID pandemic. The Albany's CEO and Artistic Director, Kevin Shaw, explained:

"The Trust has taken expert, specific and local advice, and whilst there remains some uncertainty, we understand that the growing wave of infections is expected to hit a peak on or around New Year's Day - just as our Panto starts its run. It seems likely that next week, further restrictions will be brought in anyway, as they have been in Wales and Scotland, so this decision is likely to be taken out of our hands in any event."

Chris Arnold, who plays the Dame, remains optimistic: "So much hard work has gone into this show that it is a heart-breaking decision to make, but the good news is that we only have to wait a few weeks to when we can bring it to the stage during the February school holiday, so all is not lost. By then, people will be desperate for some good news as we come out of this winter gloom, and we will be perfectly placed to provide it."

David Meredith, Chair of The Albany Theatre Trust, said: "Two weeks ago we hosted a Gala Performance of "A Christmas Carol", welcoming over 400 NHS and other essential workers as our thank you for the sacrifices they have made, and here they all are, back on the front line facing another COVID wave. Whilst we have stringent protocols that are working well and we will be able to get to the end of our highly acclaimed run of "A Christmas Carol", it would be wrong of us to host a series of shows - even if we are allowed to do so - that could easily contribute to the already exponential growth of this phase of the pandemic. We know that there are signs this variant might not be as severe as others, but it will lead to hospitalisations and deaths, and we have to take this responsible action to protect our audience, our staff, our volunteers and the cast of the panto."

Kevin Shaw added: "We hope everyone will understand that, in the end, this is the only decision we could take in all the circumstances. Dick Whittington will happen, and it will happen safely at The Albany - and it is going to be great fun, so it is something to look forward to when this wave has subsided."