Irish theatres panto plans go up in a puff of smoke
Go Irish #GoIrish
Oh no it’s not . . . going on stage. Just one leading Irish panto is set to go ahead this Christmas, with producers around the country unhappy with the Department of Tourism, Culture and Arts providing funding to pubs and hotels ahead of those creating productions.
Last week the arts minister Catherine Martin announced €5m in funding for 58 organisations as part of a live-performance support scheme. This included a €400,000 grant to the Gleneagle hotel in Killarney to stage performances at its sister venue, the INEC, and €57,760 to Langton House hotel in Kilkenny.
The producers of the annual pantomime at University Concert Hall, Limerick, received a €400,000 grant. It is the only big show definitely scheduled to take place next month. Producers