Jimmy Carr heading for Peterborough as doors to reopen at New Theatre

Jimmy, also known as the host of 8 Out of 10 Cats Does Countdown, brings his latest show to the theatre in Broadway on December 12, followed a week later by Santa’s Christmas Cracker, for children, and a variety show - Peterborough’s Christmas Cracker - running throught to New Year’s Eve.

The move to reopen the theatre before Christmas (panto has been cancelled of course) comes after the theatre, operated by Selladoor, was awarded a Culture Recovery Fund grant of more than £600,000 by the government’s DCMS last week.

David Hutchinson, Chief Executive of Selladoor Worldwide, said today: “Whilst many theatres across the UK are still closed due to the challenges brought by Covid-19, Selladoor are once again opening the doors of The New Theatre in

Peterborough to ensure the local community has access to live theatre, and this festive entertainment will be provided within a safe, socially-distanced environment.”

Jimmy’s show, Terribly Funny (socially distanced), contains jokes about all kinds of terrible things. Terrible things that might have affected you or people you know and love. But they’re just jokes – they are not the terrible things!

Santa’s Christmas Cracker, on Saturday 19th December, is a socially-distanced show where every child will get a present from Santa! Father Christmas is busy making toys, Dotty the Elf is decorating the Christmas tree and Dasher the Reindeer is getting presents onto his sleigh - but then they meet a lost penguin who has never even heard of Christmas!

It is suitable for 2-7 year olds, who would like to join Father Christmas and his friends on a fun, festive, musical adventure that discovers the wonder of Christmas.

And, to finish off the Christmas season, Peterborough’s Christmas Cracker will run from December 21-31 . It is a family variety show full of exciting, fast-paced and recognisable acts will take to the New Theatre stage.

With festive comedy and show-stopping numbers, this star-filled spectacular will entertain the socially-distanced audiences.

Tickets for Jimmy Carr and Santa’s Christmas Cracker are on sale now and available to purchase from newtheatre-peterborough.com.

Star casting and on sale date for Peterborough’s Christmas Cracker will be announced soon.

The venue will be opening with social distancing procedures in place to include spaced seating, staggered entrance times and one-way systems around the venue to ensure the safety for both the visiting audiences and production

teams as well as venue staff. Ticket bookings should be made within households or support bubbles and all customers will be requested to wear masks upon arrival and throughout the performances. Table service will operate in the bar areas and the venue will also be using its DIVA app for ordering of drinks which will then be delivered direct to seats during the interval. Deep cleaning procedures are in place and hand sanitiser is located around the venue. The safety of staff and customers will be prioritised at all performances.

Peterborough will have a panto this December though - at the Cresset - Jack and the Beanstalk