The Xmas pantos are being cancelled

[TBHno]

1st world problem , I know...

My local theatre has just cancelled their Xmas panto

Panto is something I look forward to every Christmas. As a kid, I even performed in them a few times. Seeing one in the run-up to xmas is a big part of the hype for me. Seeing the kids get all dressed up and excited is great too.

It's one of those things that has to be live because the participation is a big part of it.

Xmas just won't be the same.

I’m not going to miss it. We went for the first time in ages last year, frankly it was grim. The drag was offensive and the whole thing was really pretty tacky.

One other local theatre does a Christmas play instead of the traditional panto: it was brilliant. A little bit of innuendo, plenty of jokes and songs, but no drag and it started Granny Island from Katy morag ;-)

Very sad about theatres.
Maybe they could televise but i guess difficult for sd anyway.

Re nativities they shouldnt be singing even among themselves afaik. But may be able to outside?
(Or they will end up like the Georgia camp)

sad for theatres and all.those connected but personally phew!
my mother thinks, despite me telling her, that we all love it. so a years break is great

If they don't stop this lockdown soon a lot of people won't have lives worth living.

The only thing worth worrying about is our own immediate family now, and I am sure we can cope without a panto.

What a ridiculously selfish and short sighted attitude.

I have two young children. They will be paying for the economic fallout from this shit show for their entire working lives. They will be growing up in a fucking catastrophic recession. I'm sure I can cope without panto but I can't cope if/when the economy tanks, interest rates go through the roof and I can't pay the fucking mortgage.

Don't be such a smug, sanctimonious twat.

Loathe panto.

But I do feel sorry for the theatres that depend on it.

Our local theatre didn't even schedule a panto for this year - normally it is on their website from late March.

Zhampagne

I know. My brother is a professional muso who has supported many a class act in huge venues. He has to adapt now, but what can you do?

The only thing worth worrying about is our own immediate family now, and I am sure we can cope without a panto.

Except all of those immediate families who income comes from theatre and live events and all the myriad supporting industries. They won't be coping, will they?

I think that any industry that can't function during the ongoing restrictions should get extended support and furlough. The job losses will be catastrophic otherwise.

SirSamuelVimesBlackboardMonito

It is true though. Back off or back me up now.

The only thing worth worrying about is our own immediate family now, and I am sure we can cope without a panto

Tell that to all those employed by the theatre industry who won’t be able to feed their immediate family.

@saltycat

Zhampagne

I know. My brother is a professional muso who has supported many a class act in huge venues. He has to adapt now, but what can you do?

How is he adapting to feed his family and keep a roof over their heads then?

Half the West End are working in supermarkets.

The Theatre industry is not unique in this crisis is it?

Covid payment will continue for a while and hopefully no one will go hungry.

There were food banks before this Covid happened, but I suppose that only applied to the peasants or something.

People in the theatre industry are on the whole independent contractors and haven’t been paid for months. The few permanent staff are in the process of being made redundant.

@saltycat

The Theatre industry is not unique in this crisis is it?

Covid payment will continue for a while and hopefully no one will go hungry.

There were food banks before this Covid happened, but I suppose that only applied to the peasants or something.

Peasants? What the fuck? I’m concerned about all those losing their livelihoods. This thread however is discussing theatre.

Furlough is now getting reduced and will stop altogether in October. So not really "a while" compared to how much longer some industries will be entirely unable to operate.

It's not just theatres, they are part of it but it's every live event and large function. This is an enormous industry that employs millions of people by the time you've factored all the support roles, everything from finance to manufacturing.

I don't really think a vague reference to food banks is quite the answer that all these very frightened people are looking for.

The two people who run the amateur theatre group my son goes to also run a sound & lighting company that provides tech for shows including panto. One of them also runs workshops in schools. Because one only went fully self employed last year, he got nothing. The other got a couple of hundred pounds back in June. There is no end in sight.

Theatre is what my family live & breathe. My kids are autistic and it’s given them a social life and a purpose.

We need teachers and therapists. We probably need to find a way that some creatives can come and work in education and health for a while,I would guess, and then go back and use their experiences in the creative field maybe.

I was wondering about this too, OP. Going to the panto is a big, long-standing tradition for me and my children. We'll miss it hugely, but will probably catch a Christmas film at the cinema instead. It won't be the same, but at least my purse will take less of a hammering.

@Floralnomad me too. Absolutely hate pantos.

@Lansonmaid

Taking the discussion off thread but orchestras and choirs suffering too. Read a piece about cathedral choirs and how some are closing the schools they run, and the paid choristers are being laid off. We will all be the poorer for losing access to the arts, be it Panto, musicals, plays, opera, ballet, orchestral or choral music. But hey ho so long as people can shop or booze who cares...

This, a million times over.

@CheerfulMuddler Well put.

I have worked in the arts for over 25 years and this is an absolute disaster for the sector.

We've been every year since DS was 2. Hes now 14 and I had already booked this years. Gutted to miss a year. Not many left