Christmas is cancelled... or at least it certainly feels that way for locals down in Cork, who today learned that the annual pantomime at The Everyman will not go ahead this year.
Updating the public on what's to come, the team at The Everyman made the announcement that the 2020 pantomime will not go ahead - a decision that though not completely unexpected, has still saddened locals. Many of whom credit the show as being a highlight on the annual Christmas calendar of events.
While indoor gatherings of up to 50 are permissible under the current circumstances, organisers felt it unrealistic to successfully programme a show as complex as the annual pantomime, even with restrictions expected to ease again in the coming months. Add to that the fact that adhering to the 2m social distancing measures would only allow for a maximum of 85 people in the auditorium (including onstage artists) and it's easier to understand how the team arrived at such a decision.
Commenting on the news, Sean Kelly, Executive Director of The Everyman said:
“It is with great sadness that we announce the cancellation of our 2020 pantomime. This is the first time in three decades that there won’t be a panto on The Everyman stage at Christmas.
We really wish we didn’t have to disappoint our audiences like this but panto is an extremely expensive undertaking and under the current restrictions it is simply not possible to go ahead.
The panto represents 20% of the theatre’s annual income and is also a vital source of employment for local performers and creatives so it’s a huge blow to a great many people. We are determined that our panto will return in 2021 and be more spectacular than ever.”
