Nissan saves the day for panto company to spread some festive cheer

Nissan has saved the day so that a panto company can stage a socially-distanced show to spread some festive cheer this year.
Mother Goose will be staged in DecemberMother Goose will be staged in December
Mother Goose will be staged in December

Bluebell Productions have been at The Little Theatre Gateshead for the last two years and had sold out pantomimes to schools and families in December.

However, the Gateshead theatre is unable to reopen this year with the required social distancing in place, and the theatre company was left without a venue.

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Hearing about their plight, Hi-light, a hire equipment company for theatre sound and lights, approached Nissan Sports Centre and Club to use their sports hall to build a stage and put social distancing seating in place.

Bella Bluebell as Mother Goose. Photo by Signature Times Photography.Bella Bluebell as Mother Goose. Photo by Signature Times Photography.
Bella Bluebell as Mother Goose. Photo by Signature Times Photography.

Using the large space means the Mother Goose pantomime is able to go ahead, once the second lockdown is lifted, from December 15-24, 2020.

Organisers said it was particularly important to spread some festive cheer after an awful year.

Bella Bluebell, an international drag queen and entertainer, will be taking the role of Mother Goose.

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Melissa Cavanagh from Sunderland, who appeared on BBC's The Voice in Boy George’s team, will be playing the villain queen Virus.

Other local entertainers performing in the show are: Simon Stuart, Brodie Daniel, Megan Laing, Dawn Wolfe and Martin Anderson.

Director Lee Brannigan said: "I’m so thrilled we get to give families in the region a good traditional Christmas panto, with Covid-19 regulations in place.

“The show will only be 1hour15mins with no interval to stop everyone wandering around and possibly spreading the virus.

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"We have one-way systems going in place with sanitisation stations and a deep clean after every show. It’s going to be a lot of hard work, but it gives the public a good time after the year we’ve had. It also gives our performers work, which we haven’t had a lot of in the arts sector."

Nissan Sports Centre and club have onsite parking and will be offering table service for drinks and snacks during the performance.

Tickets are on sale now with Christmas eve nearly fully booked already. They can be bought online at ticketsource.co.uk/bluebellproductions or through the box office on Tel: 0333 666 44 66.

Tickets are £10 per person and there are pods of 2,3,4 & 6 for you to sit with your bubbles.

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