NEWS: Theatre Royal Newcastle confirms Covid-19 closure until at least November

Theatre Royal Newcastle is the latest regional venue to announce lengthy closure extensions in the face of uncertainty around coronavirus and Government social-distancing guidelines. It will remain dark until at least 24 November 2020, though it does still hope to proceed with its annual pantomime, critical to year-round box office. Here is their statement…

“It is with a heavy heart that we announce that Newcastle Theatre Royal will remain closed until 24 November 2020.

“If you have a booking that will be affected by this closure, you do not need to do anything. Rest assured, we will contact you over the coming months when we have more information regarding your show.

“We are aware that many customers are awaiting refunds or credit notes from existing cancellations and we want to thank you for your ongoing patience. Our team are exceedingly busy as we are operating with a very reduced staff. If you have contacted us via email, it will be a number of weeks until you hear from us. We are currently prioritising enquiries regarding shows scheduled up until 4 July.

Humpty Dumpty is this year’s scheduled pantomime at Theatre Royal Newcastle

“Our ‘egg-ceptional’ pantomime, Humpty Dumpty, will go ahead as planned; we are carefully monitoring developments but we absolutely hope to crack a few yolks this Christmas. We’ll all need it!

“On our website, you will find a regularly updated list of shows that have been cancelled or rescheduled so you can see where we are in this process.

“COVID-19 is having a devastating impact on the theatre industry, especially for organisations like Newcastle Theatre Royal, an independent charity that does not receive any funding. All of our income comes from tickets and related sales and this revenue stopped overnight when social distancing was put in place.

“Together with sector bodies and other theatres across the UK, we are asking the government to help find a solution to the financial difficulties facing our industry so that we can continue to entertain and inspire audiences as we have done for hundreds of years.

“However, we must remain closed for the foreseeable future. There are a number of ways you can support us in during this difficult time; for more information, please visit our website.

“Once again, thank you for your patience and well wishes, we really appreciate your support.”

 

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