Panto Postponed for This Year
AFTER careful consideration, and in light of the most recent guidelines issued by the UK Government, it is with enormous regret that The Hexagon and Imagine Theatre have made the difficult decision to postpone the 2020/21 pantomime, Beauty and the Beast.
However we are not saying goodbye completely, oh no we’re not! The pantomime will be back for our Christmas season in 2021-22. We have made this decision after carefully assessing the options open to us in relation to social distancing within the venue, as well as the financial risk for us and our producers. Therefore, postponing until next year feels like the most sensible, fair and safe option.Steve Boden, Imagine Theatre, said
:"We are very disappointed that we will be unable to stage pantomime in the Hexagon this Christmas, but are delighted that this is only a temporary postponement and that Justin and Paul will star in Beauty and the Beast in December 2021.”
Karen Rowland, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Culture, Heritage and Recreation, added:
“Reading Council is working hard to reopen its cultural and arts venues, including The Hexagon, South Street and the Concert Hall, as soon as possible, with safety at the forefront of its plans. Unlike museums and libraries, there is yet to be a Government announcement on when live indoor performances can restart. We are working closely with our tour promoters, artistes and partners to reschedule shows and events wherever possible and we will update all ticket holders as soon as these options are confirmed. “For a cultural fix, I would really encourage people to visit Reading Culture Live www.readingculturelive.co.uk, created in collaboration with Reading UK CIC, which brings together in a virtual venue, performances and activities from a wide range of Reading’s arts and cultural organisations.” The Hexagon’s box office team will be contacting all current ticket holders with a view to automatically transferring bookings over to next year. However refunds or taking a credit for a future booking are available. For the latest information visit https://whatsonreading.com/readingartsnews“Reading’s award-winning panto is one of the highlights of the entertainment calendar so this is very sad news indeed, but understandable given the current safety restrictions in place for theatres. We will all eagerly look forward to its return the following year.