Preview: Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates at Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

Panto to set sail this Christmas, oh yes it is!

Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates

Seaton Delaval Arts Centre

Friday 4^th to Saturday 12^th December 2020

Despite the stormy waters of 2020, pantomime will take to the stage in Seaton Delaval once again with a swashbuckling production of Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates. The show is set to be Seaton Delaval Pantomime Society’s 48^th annual production in the village. Special arrangements have been put in place to allow the show to go ahead, including reduced audience numbers and additional safety procedures.

 

Young Robinson Crusoe has always had an appetite for adventure! Living with his old mother Dame Crystal Crusoe, his washed up Father Captain Crusoe and his silly billy brother Sprat, Robinson has no desire to take over the family Fish ‘n Chip shop. Meanwhile, the high seas are terrorised by the evil Captain Blacktashe in his search for the lost temple of treasure on Skull Island. But the map where X marks the spot has been lost for years… Will Robinson ever find his treasure? Will Dame Crusoe end up battered? And what is that mysterious writing on the back of the chip shop menu?

 

Tickets can now be booked for ‘Panto Pods’, which are a group of seats socially distanced from other audience members. Panto Pods are available for groups of 2, 4 and 6 and may only be occupied by groups of up to two households or support bubbles.

 

The Theatre Director Stu Bennett explained “This year has been difficult for everyone, and we can’t wait to spread a bit of festive cheer and bring some normality to what has otherwise been a very different time. The safety of our audience and volunteers is always our number one priority, and after months of planning we’re confident with these new arrangements that the show can go ahead safely. We can’t wait to see lots of happy smiling faces back in our theatre after being closed for so long.”

 

Director Lorna-Beth Pearson added “With many of the cast returning from last year’s hit show, it promises to be a spectacular colourful production for the whole family to enjoy, packed full of show-stopping songs, dazzling dance routines and hilarious knockabout comedy. Our traditional pantomime sticks to the story of the classic tale, but with a few modern twists added in along the way.”

 

The rib-tickling script is penned by local writer and actor Tom Whalley.

 

Photographs: Paul Cummings

 

Tickets:

The show runs from Friday 4^th to Saturday 12^th December at the Seaton Delaval Arts Centre. Tickets are available online at www.seatondelavalartscentre.com or from the Box Office on 0191 237 5460. With a much-reduced capacity to allow social distancing, tickets are expected to sell quickly.