Mercury Theatre Colchester Forced to Postpone 2020 Pantomime

The Mercury Theatre Colchester team today announced that due to the COVID19 pandemic, they have been forced to make the difficult decision to postpone this years' pantomime until 2021.

The Essex based theatre join the ranks of many other regional theatres making the same devastating announcement due to ongoing uncertainty around the government's plans for reopening and social distancing in UK venues.

The Mercury, whose record breaking 2019 pantomime, Cinderella, took place in a festival tent style venue last winter while their building was closed for redevelopment, was looking forward to reopening their newly refurbished theatre this autumn with a season of unforgettable shows, topped off with a sparkling panto to remember. However, while the building work is still on schedule to finish in time for the Christmas season, the uncertainty as to when theatres can reopen safely has now forced their hand.

Mercury Executive Producer Tracey Childs said:

"We are devastated not to be able to put on our annual Mercury pantomime this festive season. Like many other regional theatres, panto is not only our financial mainstay, but also an event that our whole community look forward to and enjoy. We love seeing our auditorium packed with smiling faces as families and friends enjoy this wonderful Christmas tradition together, but the safety of our audiences and staff, both on and off stage, must be our top priority. To open with social distancing measures in place would mean reducing our capacity to around 25%. Unfortunately it is impossible to produce a show of the quality and standard that you have come to expect from the Mercury on a quarter of the income." Without the clear guidance our industry has been crying out for, this year, we are sorry to say the show cannot go on."

Mercury Creative Director, Ryan McBryde said:

"We have not taken this heart breaking decision lightly. The magic of pantomime comes from the shared experience; a packed auditorium full of friends and families who can interact with the all-singing, all-dancing performers on stage. But under the government's current social distancing guidelines there is no way we can deliver this. Pantomimes take months, if not years in the making - usually by August sets have been built, actors have been cast and costumes have been fitted. Postponing until next year seems like the most sensible and safe option in these circumstances. The plans for our 2020 panto will move to 2021, and we will continue to focus our energy on ensuring that we can open our new building safely, with a launch party and opening season to remember."

The Mercury Theatre is a registered charity that relies on funding and ticket income to carry out its work on stage and in their community. Overnight the Mercury has lost more than £2.9 million worth of income from box office and ticket sales (representing 74% of its annual turnover). As well as in-house audiences, the Christmas production traditionally saw associated outreach projects connect with local schools, the local military community, and patients and staff at local care homes and medical facilities, and the recording of last year's Cinderella has since been streamed online to provide entertainment to those in lockdown over the Easter weekend.

The Mercury's 2020 pantomime, the title of which had not yet been announced, was set to be particularly special as it would be the inaugural panto in their newly redeveloped building. The £10m Mercury Rising redevelopment project will see the theatre modernised and made fully accessible, with more seats in their auditorium and more fit-for-purpose community and creation spaces.

For more information and to read the full statement visit www.mercurytheatre.co.uk.

Photo Credit: Pamela Raith

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