The Gaiety Theatre has confirmed seats for the panto during the reduced capacity is being allocated on a first come first served basis.
People who were first to buy tickets for The Little Mermaid will be allocated seats based on the purchase date.
Management say allowing 50% of the audience to see the show, rather than cancelling the production, is the lesser of two evils.
Additional shows are being scheduled in January, and anyone who has had their tickets cancelled will be given priority access to book tickets.
Important information regarding The Little Mermaid at the Gaiety https://t.co/7gcRVtDEFP pic.twitter.com/4P6stFOtIM
— The Gaiety Theatre (@gaiety_theatre) December 3, 2021
In a statement the Gaiety Theatre says: "Following the Government announcement on 3rd December, which restricts capacity to 50% at indoor live events, The Gaiety Theatre has been forced to cancel 50% of tickets for every performance of The Little Mermaid taking place between 7 December 2021 - 9 January 2022.
"To accommodate those patrons who are disappointed and who wish to come to the Gaiety Panto at a later date in January, The Gaiety Theatre has announced a very limited number of additional shows for The Little Mermaid for January 2022. Patrons whose tickets were cancelled will be been sent a pre-sale link should they wish to purchase tickets - with priority access to these additional shows before they are available to the general public."
Caroline Downey, Panto producer and owner of the Gaiety Theatre, says: "In the Gaiety’s 150 year history, we have never before been forced to make such difficult decisions as this. For the last 20 months, families and children have done everything that has been asked of them. We in the Arts have done the same - opened safely, putting every protective measure in place to make the Theatre a safe and controlled environment. Despite having no case numbers linked to the Theatre since we re-opened, we have been forced by the Government to turn away people who had very kindly chosen to support us.
"We now have no choice but to let them down.
"Having explored every avenue to figure a way to avoid disappointing families and loyal customers, we have decided that it is the lesser of two evils to allow 50% of the audience to see the show and keep cast and crew in employment, rather than cancel the show completely. The tickets have been selected on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the date the tickets were purchased.
"We are so very sorry to those families who bought their tickets in good faith and I’m sure they will feel disappointed and angry at this decision. I can assure you, we empathise with them and share their frustration at this entire situation. Monies will be refunded in full. We hope that despite this upsetting news, the public will continue to support the arts, wherever that may be."
