Having been closed for 17 months, The Tivoli Theatre will finally raise the curtain for live shows later this month.
“We’ve been one of the first industries to close down so we’re very excited to finally reopen – our first show is on Sunday August 29,” said Lynn Sangster, The Tivoli’s general manager.
“It can’t come quick enough. We’re absolutely delighted that we were given the go-ahead that we can reopen.”
The Guild Street venue will reopen with a Michael Jackson tribute show called MJ The Legacy – Starring CJ, which falls on the singer’s birthday.
Lynn said: “We’re really looking forward to getting off to a good start with a lot of music and entertainment – hopefully the crowd will love it.”
No social distancing measures in place
At the moment, Lynn and her team are deep-cleaning the venue, checking their technical equipment, restocking bars and hiring and training new staff members.
When The Tivoli reopens, there won’t be any social distancing measures or one way systems in place, however, the theatre staff will be asking attendees to be mindful of others to make sure everyone has a safe and pleasant experience.
Lynn said: “The current guidance is – because of the size of the venue we have – we don’t need to socially distance, but obviously, we’ll be asking people to be aware of those around them and wear a face mask when they’re in the theatre.
“We’re also launching a new app for the bar, so if you’re not comfortable coming to the bar, you can have drinks delivered to your seats.
“We’re going to be mindful and hope that everyone will be understanding that it’s a new way of working now. Hand sanitisers will be all over the theatre as well.”
Variety of shows on offer at The Tivoli
The Tivoli Theatre has a wide variety of shows planned for the coming months, including Texas’ album launch acoustic show which is already sold out.
Lynn added: “We’ve got comedy acts, more tribute nights, panto – a variety of entertainment for everybody.”
Attic Theatre will – after a year’s break – once again return to The Tivoli, this time with their take on Jack & the Beanstalk.
New seats and nameplates
When theatre-lovers return to The Tivoli, they’ll notice a few changes in the much-loved local theatre.
Lynn said: “We had some refurbishment done in the stalls and we’ve had some upgrades done on the electrical equipment and toilets too – there’s been quite a lot of work done while we’ve been closed. We’ve taken the opportunity to do that since we’ve been closed.”
During lockdown, The Tivoli also run a fundraising campaign to ensure the theatre would be able to reopen post-pandemic.
Lynn said: “A lot of people donated on our JustGiving page to support us and we also had a campaign where people could sponsor a seat – where they could get a name plate on a seat. We had a really really good response to that.”
Since some people bought these nameplates as a gift for their loved ones, Lynn cannot wait to see their happy and surprised faces once they return to the theatre.
Government support was “godsend”
In addition, The Tivoli also received a share of the Scottish Government’s emergency Covid-19 funds through Creative Scotland.
Lynn said: “We are really really lucky we have twice received funding from the Government which has been an absolute godsend for us. We’re delighted with the support we received.
“Hopefully people will have the confidence to come back out and support not just our venue but all the other venues in Aberdeen. Come along, support us and have a good night.”