Coronavirus may have forced the closure of venues across the country, but the show must go on and Norwich Theatre is making sure audiences don’t miss out this summer by launching Interlude.

Eastern Daily Press: The big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYThe big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

Interlude is a collaboration between Norwich Theatre and circus company Lost in Translation and will feature six weeks of live performances, running from Monday, August 10 to Sunday, September 20.

All the shows will take place in a red big top tent, provided by Lost in Translation, which will have the sides lifted to ensure proper ventilation and it is located in Chapelfield Gardens in Norwich with an on-site bar.

A large part of the programme is shows that were due to run at Norwich Theatre Playhouse, including She Go Does It In A Tent…With Friends starring Karl Minns from August 10 to 16 and other big names include comedians Jimmy Carr on August 28 and Paul Chowdhry on September 3.

Eastern Daily Press: Social distancing seating in the big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens, in the collaboration between Lost in Translation Circus and the Norwich Theatre Royal, with other cultural organisations in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYSocial distancing seating in the big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens, in the collaboration between Lost in Translation Circus and the Norwich Theatre Royal, with other cultural organisations in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

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Stephen Crocker, chief executive at Norwich Theatre, said: “After all these months of lockdown we just felt now was the moment to start to find ways of bringing people back together.

“Working with our fabulous partners at Lost in Translation we thought about how we could do this in a space that can operate with social distancing and that is how we hit upon Interlude.

Eastern Daily Press: Massi Rossetti, left, of Lost in Translation Circus, and Stephen Crocker, of Norwich Theatre, together in the big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYMassi Rossetti, left, of Lost in Translation Circus, and Stephen Crocker, of Norwich Theatre, together in the big tent ready for Interlude at Chapelfield Gardens. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

“It feels like a special moment as Norwich venues come together to bring our audiences back.”

Audience members will need to wear a mask when outside the tent, but at the moment they won’t be required inside as all the seats are set out in “social bubbles” for groups of two to six.

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Eastern Daily Press: Work being carried out to get the big tent ready for the Interlude shows at Chapelfield Gardens, in the collaboration between Lost In Translation Circus and the Norwich Theatre Royal, with other cultural organisations in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYWork being carried out to get the big tent ready for the Interlude shows at Chapelfield Gardens, in the collaboration between Lost In Translation Circus and the Norwich Theatre Royal, with other cultural organisations in Norwich. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2020)

Lost in Translation, based at The Oak Circus Centre in Norwich, is also bringing a whole host of shows to the big top tent.

Massi Rossetti, artistic director, said: “We have three cabaret-style shows for children, families and a late night one for adults, created specifically for Interlude, then we are doing our signature show The Hogwallops and special closing performances too.”

Buy tickets at norwichtheatre.org or call the box office on 01603 630000.