The Palace Theatre in Paignton will be raising its curtain and opening its doors again to welcome back loyal supporters, old friends and new audience members this month. The popular ‘Audience at the Palace’ daytime talk series returns on Thursday 17 September at 10.30am with guest speaker, curator and radio presenter, Jo Loosemore.
The first talk of the series is Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy, marking the 400th anniversary of the sailing of the Mayflower ship. Jo will reveal the changing perceptions of the ship and its passengers in the famous historic tale of the Atlantic journey, with its strong South West connection.
‘We are so excited to be able to open our doors again and to welcome back our loyal supporters. We regularly hear from them and they tell us how much they miss the theatre experience and can’t wait to return. The Mayflower story is so inspirational and symbolises an epic journey of hope for a better future and it couldn’t be more fitting for our first live event since lockdown’, says Maureen McAllister, Operations Director of Jazz Hands Community Interest Company which runs the Palace Theatre in Paignton.
Whilst the theatre experience may have changed, with masks having to be worn inside the building, visitors can still look forward to an entertaining experience and a warm welcome as the multi award-winning Jazz Hands team prepares for their return. Audience members can expect an at-seat drinks service to reduce congestion, a newly-fitted air conditioning system in the auditorium, protective screens at the box office desk, wall mounted hand sanitiser units and clear signage to ensure social distance measures are maintained. Two new digital display screens displaying forthcoming shows, event information and a ‘Wall of Fame’ with patron and supporter names have also been installed in the theatre foyer. These are just some of the latest improvements that have been made during the temporary closure to enhance the visitor experience.
Tickets for the Mayflower 400 talk need to be booked in advance by calling the Palace Theatre box office number: 01803 665800 or visiting the website for more information: www.palacetheatrepaignton.co.uk
There are many other ways local people and businesses can support the Palace Theatre, including donating to a GoFundMe fundraising campaign, supporting the Theatre Angels scheme to enable theatre experiences for all or to take become a Friend of the Palace Theatre.
