Who says you can’t do panto in summer? The New Wolsey is throwing open its doors and inviting people to throw away their lockdown cares and worries and lose themselves in a re-staging of last year’s limited run rock’n’roll panto The Snow Queen.

Ipswich Star: The New Wolsey is restaging The Snow Queen for May half term. This will be the first production since ChristmasThe New Wolsey is restaging The Snow Queen for May half term. This will be the first production since Christmas (Image: www.mikekwasniak.co.uk)

The New Wolsey’s Snow Queen is being remounted with the original cast during half term – from May 27 to June 13.

Once again audiences will be invited to enjoy the show live on stage or it can be streamed live online for those who are shielding or feel nervous about being part of a large group of people.

The theatre will be inviting the audience to take part in the show by submitting a homemade dancing video (this time to ‘Runaway Baby’ by Bruno Mars). The audience participation doesn’t end there because someone in the remote viewing audience will be nominated to supply a prop for the show and it will be collected live during the performance.

Ipswich Star: Dame Seigfried Smorgasbord (Steve Simmonds) tries to get a grasp on what the plot of The Snow Queen is all about. This year's rock'n'roll panto is playing to audiences at home and in the theatreDame Seigfried Smorgasbord (Steve Simmonds) tries to get a grasp on what the plot of The Snow Queen is all about. This year's rock'n'roll panto is playing to audiences at home and in the theatre (Image: www.mikekwasniak.co.uk)

The cast includes New Wolsey actor/musicians James Haggie, Lucy Wells, Adam Langstaff, Steve Simmonds and Natasha Lewis. Songs performed live include Let’s Get Loud, If I Had a Hammer, I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles), I Can See Clearly Now and Runaway Baby.

Sarah Holmes, chief executive of the New Wolsey, said: “We’re working really hard to ensure the New Wolsey is a Covid-safe environment when we open our doors on May 27.

"Feedback from our customers at Christmas was overwhelmingly positive – they felt safe and confident in the measures we had in place.

"Due to Covid restrictions we won’t be able to serve food and drink inside the venue for this show, but patrons are welcome to bring their own (no nuts, glass or alcohol).”

Seats are being sold in bubbles and there will be a maximum seating capacity of 160 per show. Ticket prices remain the same as in December 2020: £25 for the Live-Streamed show (per screen) and £25 per seat in the auditorium.

There will also be a relaxed performance version of the show, which will be available to watch from home. If anyone is interested in making use of this service, please contact the theatre by emailing tickets@wolseytheatre.co.uk.

Tickets can be booked online at the New Wolsey website.