Qdos pantomimes begins consultations regarding postponement of Christmas shows

Qdos pantomimes, the largest panto producers in the country and a major festive employer for those in the arts, has said it will "begin the consultation process with partner theatres about the viability of each show".

The company has, in the last few weeks, stated that unless it has seen a firm plan for reopening by 3 August, then it will have to postpone or cancel productions due to a lack of clarity.

Last week, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said that it may be November before venues can know when performances without social distancing can go ahead. This, in turn, means that companies and venues will have no time to plan for a Christmas season given the limited time span.

With some venues earning up to 40 per cent of revenue from their annual festive show, the absence of a panto will have dire implications on the industry as a whole. A number of venues, including Norwich Theatre Royal and Tron Theatre, have already postponed their shows while the crisis continues.

Qdos has said that plans or postponements will be announced by individual venues rather than as a whole, and that this process may take a number of weeks.

You can see Qdos' statement in full below:

Today we start the process of consulting with our partner theatres about this year's pantomime season. Here's our full statement. pic.twitter.com/rr0bXvw6G1