A Covid outbreak has forced a reading theatre company to postpone it’s Christmas adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’ due to an outbreak of Covid within the cast.

Reading Rep Theatre, who were supposed to begin previews on December 3, have announced on social media that all performances will be postponed until December 14 due to positive Covid-19 cases.

They released a statement last night on social media saying:

“The safety and well being of our audience and team is our top priority, and we shall continue to follow our robust, safety precautions, as well as government guidelines.”

“If your tickets have been affected, the box office will be in touch with you imminently.”

Audience members have already commented, sending their condolences and well wishes for a speedy recovery to the cast and crew.

The Reading theatre company has been producing community theatre and national adaptations since 2012.

In late 2021 they moved into their first permanent home where the company have already produced their first production of ‘Dorian’, an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’.

Executive Director, Nick Thompson has commented saying:

“It is a sad moment for any theatre when cancelling or postponing shows. We are a small organization that relies heavily on box office income, and so cancelling performances incurs impacts significantly on our company. With COVID-19 cases high across the country, there is a desperate need for a viable support system, ensuring live arts and events do not take an irreparable toll.

“At this point, we are just so grateful to be reopening the production next week and look forward to sharing this festive show with Reading audiences. It is such a joyous occasion for us, as A Christmas Carol will mark our first Christmas show in our new, state-of-the-art theatre.”

Ticket holders have been encouraged to contact the box office with any questions they may have about postponed performances.