THE show's not going on for now - but Weymouth Pavilion wants supporters to know staff are planning for the curtain to go up once again.

Since closing because of the coronavirus outbreak, managing director Phil Say said plans are in place to keep the theatre going through the next three to six months.

The theatre's 37 staff members have been placed on furlough leave, Mr Say said, with four people, including himself, working behind the scenes to contact current ticketholders and prepare for the theatre's reopening.

"We had around 16,000 ticketholders for shows when this happened which is quite a large number of people to contact. We're doing it all month by month.

"This is such an unprecedented thing that has happened and it's the same for the shows that were due to come here as it is for the theatre."

A number of productions due to take place in May and June have now been postponed.

Mr Say said many ticketholders are forgoing their refunds and are very generously donating the price of their ticket to the venue.

"Everyone's position is different. For people who can afford to do so, donating the ticket price will really be helping us. We've also had some people sending in donations to support the theatre," he said.

At night the theatre is bathed in NHS blue colours to support the service as it faces the challenge of the pandemic, a show of support costing just £1 a day, Mr Say said.

It is hoped that when the theatre does reopen, it will have a 'cork in the bottle effect', Mr Say said.

"I'm optimistic that the cork in the bottle effect will happen and people will want to come to the theatre more than ever before."

Once council-run, Weymouth Pavilion was saved from demolition and handed over to the community in 2013.

"We've worked hard for seven years to build this theatre and to get it into the position we're in. We have to be optimistic because as human beings we do overcome adversity," Mr Say said.

At the time the theatre was forced to close it had a busy programme of shows coming up and had just seen a sell-out audience enjoy comedian Rob Brydon's show.

"When I told staff we would have to close it was very emotional and they had tears rolling down their face," he said.

"But it's necessary and we have to do our part and make sure we're there when all this is over."

*You can donate to Weymouth Pavilion online at weypav.uk/PavDonate