Show must go on as Christmas pantomime to move to Clickimin

THE GARRISON Theatre will not be available for the Lerwick Christmas pantomime again this year, with the production moving to Clickimin.

Open Door Drama group will perform Alice in Wonderland this December in the Clickimin Leisure Centre’s bowls hall, with the Garrison still undergoing renovations.

It is the second year in a row that the Christmas pantomime has been forced to move, with Islesburgh Drama Group performing a pantomime greatest hits at Mareel last year.

The historic theatre has been closed to the public since last year due to the repair work, with a report in June this year saying it was close to reopening.

Maintenance work at Garrison nearing completion

However Open Door Drama group said in a statement today (Thursday) that it had been made aware that the annual pantomime would need to move to a new venue.

Alice in Wonderland – which will be directed by Hannah Eunson, with Sioban McGregor as musical director – will run from 12-19 December at Clickimin.

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A spokesperson for Open Door Drama said its trustees had learned from Shetland Charitable Trust a few weeks ago that the Garrison still needed work.

They thanked both Anne Black and Edna Flaws for “keeping us updated”.

“With the invaluable support and help of Neil Moncrieff and Robert Geddes from Shetland Recreational Trust, the bowlers hall became a possibility,” they said.

“We are absolutely over the moon that many hundreds of panto enthusiast will get their annual dose of mirth, mayhem and madcap action.”

There will be matinee showings on Sunday 13 and Saturday 19 December, along with a signed performance from Sula Brookes at the Sunday matinee.

The group said they could not have a preview show this year, but would offer groups who are normally invited to these reduced prices for the Monday 14 and Tuesday 15 December shows.

Tickets will go on sale to the public on Friday 20 November via littleboxoffice.com.