THE LYRIC HAMMERSMITH WILL SPREAD FESTIVE CHEER WITH PANTO BINGO, A FOODBANK COLLECTION AND AN ONLINE VERSION OF RAYMOND BRIGGS’ FATHER CHRISTMAS

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre has been at the heart of Hammersmith for 125 years and it is thanks to its community that it has survived the challenges of 2020. The theatre is especially grateful to those who donated to the Lyric’s Crowdfunder Campaign helping the theatre to raise over £80,000.

This Christmas will be different for everyone, but the Lyric Hammersmith hopes to still spread festive joy with Panto Bingo, Foodbank collection and a special online version of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, with tickets from £10.

Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan and Executive Director Sian Alexander said: “Our local community is incredibly important to us at the Lyric and we are delighted to be partnering with other vital local charities in Hammersmith & Fulham to support those most in need, especially at this challenging time. We hugely value the support we receive locally and the whole Lyric team is passionate about doing all we can to help the vulnerable in our community and to give back to our local neighbourhood.”

LYRIC HAMMERSMITH FESTIVE LINE UP

Panto Bingo
9th December: 6:30PM

The spirit of Panto will continue in Hammersmith this year thanks to Panto Bingo. A special fundraising event on Zoom hosted by award-winning comedian and writer of the Lyric’s 2021 Panto, Vikki Stone, who will be joined by some special guests. Vikki has previously starred in two of the Lyric’s previous Pantos as the baddie Abanazer and will reprise her role for an evening of bingo and panto fun ending with a rousing singalong to Glory Glory Hammersmith.

Suitable for everyone with all tickets £10, Panto Bingo will be a fun evening for all the family. The first prize is a family ticket (4 people) for Aladdin in 2021.

The zoom link and individual bingo cards will be emailed to players 24 hours before the game. All proceeds will go towards the Lyric Recovery Fund.

Foodbank Collection At The Lyric
4th – 16th December

This Christmas the Lyric Hammersmith is supporting the Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank to collect food for Christmas treat boxes. The Lyric is asking those who can to drop off donations such as crackers, chocolates and small toiletry gift sets (full Items listed below) for the Foodbank’s Christmas Treats boxes. The Lyric is open to accept items every weekday from 04 – 16 December 9am – 3pm at the theatre’s box office on Lyric Square. Donations will help create Christmas treat parcels for delivery to over 400 local families across the borough.

Hammersmith and Fulham Foodbank CEO Sian Bates said: “During the last 6 months since 01 April we have packed and delivered food to over 28,000 residents – that’s the equivalent of 280,000 meals delivered! It is also more than four times our usual demand and unfortunately, we are seeing numbers of referrals rise again as winter approaches. The residents that we serve have experienced real hardship over the past few months and we intend to add some Christmas treats into all of our food boxes in the run up to Christmas to add a little extra cheer.”

The main items the Lyric is looking to collect are:

• Christmas treats in small packs – biscuits, chocolates, crackers
• Small toiletry set – unisex if possible
• Tinned fruit
• Tinned corned beef
• Tinned tuna
• Long Life Juice
• Long Life Milk
• Tinned Rice Pudding
• Tinned Soup (vegetarian if possible)

Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas
9th – 24th December

The Lyric’s production of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, adapted by Pins and Needles returns for 2020 in a new specially created online production for families to enjoy from home. All tickets provide the same view and experience of the show, one ticket purchase provides access to the production from 9am 09 Dec.

From the comfort of their home audiences will be able to watch Briggs’ grumpy but loveable Father Christmas as he gets ready for his busiest day of the year, Christmas Eve. Preparing his Christmas deliveries, feeding his reindeer and finally taking flight into the snowy night. Full of merry touches with plenty of live music, songs and playful puppetry. This is a perfect festive treat for under 8s and their families.

Thanks to Hammersmith BID, local residents with a Privilege Card can apply for a free ticket to watch Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas, with an optional donation to Small tap, big change, the BID’s initiative to support local homelessness charities.

Standard ticket: £10 – This gives you access to the streaming of Raymond Briggs’ Father Christmas from 09 – 24 Dec

Family/group ticket: £15 – If you are viewing the show with multiple people in your household and are able to do so please consider purchasing a family ticket