This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-53672274
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Coronavirus: Birmingham Hippodrome cancels Christmas season | Coronavirus: Birmingham Hippodrome cancels Christmas season |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A theatre which stages one of the UK's most popular pantomimes has cancelled its Christmas programme due to Covid-19 and will not reopen this year. | A theatre which stages one of the UK's most popular pantomimes has cancelled its Christmas programme due to Covid-19 and will not reopen this year. |
| Birmingham Hippodrome announced with "heartache" that its major live performances were "not financially viable" amid social distancing. | Birmingham Hippodrome announced with "heartache" that its major live performances were "not financially viable" amid social distancing. |
| Productions in the main auditorium would not resume until February at the earliest, it said. | Productions in the main auditorium would not resume until February at the earliest, it said. |
| It means festive pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, will not go ahead. | It means festive pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, will not go ahead. |
| 'Massive blow' | 'Massive blow' |
| Annual performances of The Nutcracker by Birmingham Royal Ballet, which uses the theatre as its home venue, have also been scrapped there. | Annual performances of The Nutcracker by Birmingham Royal Ballet, which uses the theatre as its home venue, have also been scrapped there. |
| The Hippodrome said the move followed discussions "at length" with both the ballet and pantomime producer, Qdos. | The Hippodrome said the move followed discussions "at length" with both the ballet and pantomime producer, Qdos. |
| Fiona Allan, the theatre's chief executive and artistic director said it was "a massive blow" to lose the shows. | Fiona Allan, the theatre's chief executive and artistic director said it was "a massive blow" to lose the shows. |
| "It leaves us in a very difficult financial position... a quarter of our annual income comes from this Christmas season, 150,000 people come through our doors between pantomime and The Nutcracker, so it's really quite devastating. | "It leaves us in a very difficult financial position... a quarter of our annual income comes from this Christmas season, 150,000 people come through our doors between pantomime and The Nutcracker, so it's really quite devastating. |
| "We're just trying to weigh-up it up, what it means, if we can continue to operate as we did before." | "We're just trying to weigh-up it up, what it means, if we can continue to operate as we did before." |
| The Hippodrome had previously announced scale backs because of the pandemic. | The Hippodrome had previously announced scale backs because of the pandemic. |
| In June, the theatre said about 60 employees - around half its staff - could be made redundant in a bid to stay afloat. | In June, the theatre said about 60 employees - around half its staff - could be made redundant in a bid to stay afloat. |
| It benefitted from the government's £1.5bn support package for the arts, announced in July, but Ms Allan said social distancing prohibited full-scale productions. | It benefitted from the government's £1.5bn support package for the arts, announced in July, but Ms Allan said social distancing prohibited full-scale productions. |
| Goldilocks, starring Jason Donovan, has been rescheduled for the 2021 Christmas period. | Goldilocks, starring Jason Donovan, has been rescheduled for the 2021 Christmas period. |
| Reacting to the news on Twitter, Emma Rowley said: "My heart literally breaks with this news. I'm so sad to everyone at my absolute fave [sic] place." | Reacting to the news on Twitter, Emma Rowley said: "My heart literally breaks with this news. I'm so sad to everyone at my absolute fave [sic] place." |
| Leon Phillips added: "This is sad to hear, but at a time like this what else can you do, safety of your audience and staff members is very important, and your [sic] being very responsible at this moment. | Leon Phillips added: "This is sad to hear, but at a time like this what else can you do, safety of your audience and staff members is very important, and your [sic] being very responsible at this moment. |
| "It's nice to see how understanding your audience member [sic] are as well." | "It's nice to see how understanding your audience member [sic] are as well." |
| Birmingham Royal Ballet says it is "working hard" to find a new host for The Nutcracker and The Hippodrome said it would be contacting ticket-holders for the ballet production over the coming days. | Birmingham Royal Ballet says it is "working hard" to find a new host for The Nutcracker and The Hippodrome said it would be contacting ticket-holders for the ballet production over the coming days. |
| On Wednesday, Qdos announced it was pushing back pantomimes in Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh and Southampton to next Christmas amid ongoing uncertainty about when theatres would be able to reopen fully. | On Wednesday, Qdos announced it was pushing back pantomimes in Aberdeen, Belfast, Edinburgh and Southampton to next Christmas amid ongoing uncertainty about when theatres would be able to reopen fully. |
| Its managing director Michael Harrison said: "The Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime is the UK's biggest regional panto and postponing the show has been a difficult decision." | Its managing director Michael Harrison said: "The Birmingham Hippodrome pantomime is the UK's biggest regional panto and postponing the show has been a difficult decision." |
| Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: newsonline.westmidlands@bbc.co.uk |