Pantomime producers have been left fearing the worst but planning for the best, following Thursday’s coronavirus tiers government announcement.
Theatres in tier three areas will not be able to reopen after lockdown ends on 2 December, unless they move into tier two following a planned review on 16 December.
Dan Bates, the chief executive of Sheffield Theatres, says the news is “devastating, but understandable”.
His group of theatres is in tier three.
This means indoor entertainment venues must close. The Sheffield Theatres venues – The Crucible, Studio and Lyceum – and their festive production of Damian’s Pop Up Panto (at the former) had been due to start on 6 December, but that is no longer possible.
“The last few days has been been like waiting for an exam result – what we’re going to do and what our destiny is really,” Bates told the BBC.
“What is frustrating is that we have seen the numbers [of coronavirus cases] reducing dramatically, particularly in Sheffield, and we’re all a little bit on the cusp actually.
BBC