THEATRE bosses at Crewe's Lyceum have suspended shows up to the end of next month while others have been rearranged further into 2021 as the pandemic continues to cast an uncertain future over arts venues.

Comedian Jason Manford was due to stage a show at the Lyceum on Wednesday night (January 13), but that has now been rescheduled for a second time to July 23 this year.

The theatre has been closed since the first lockdown last March and a heavy backlog has built up. Some shows have been rescheduled to alternative dates this year, but 29 events have been cancelled altogether.

Before the circuit breaker lockdown last November, and the tiering system that followed it, arts venues were hoping to return to some normality in the spring.

But the new lockdown has put paid to that and the Lyceum has announced that all performances before and up to February 28 have been suspended. With restrictions likely to continue after the country exits lockdown theatre managers are already shelving dates booked for the venue in March and April and rearranging them for later this year or even next year.

Veteran pop combo Herman's Hermits have been pencilled in at Crewe for March 22 next year, which is almost two years after they were due to perform (March 28, 2020).

Bushcraft survival expert Ray Mears was due to bring his 'We are Nature' show to the Lyceum on April 1, but that has been put back until February 26, 2022.

Jasper Carrott, due in town on November 1/2, has been pencilled in for September 29/30 this year.

Other shows rescheduled for later this year include Iain Stirling (May 2), The Drifters (May 27), Gyles Brandreth (Jun 13), Ed Byrne (to Sept 24), John Lydon (Oct 10) and Ross Noble (Nov 5).

Among those events cancelled from last year and not being rescheduled are the Crewe Gang Show, The Buddy Holly Story and Horrible Histories.

A spokesperson for the theatre said: "We are working to reschedule as many of the affected performances as we can. Inevitably this will not be possible for all events and some shows will not be rescheduled."

While performances at theatres and concert halls were possible before November's lockdown the socially-distanced restrictions made it uneconomic for most venues to stage shows.

The Lyceum has had no tickets sales income since March last year. Most of its staff have been furloughed and the government's award of a £231,387 grant from the Cultural Recovery Fund announced last October could prove essential in keeping the venue, owned by HQ Theatres and Hospitality, in business.

The Lyceum says it is emailing ticket holders to inform them of new dates and will reimburse those whose shows are cancelled through a voucher credit system.