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Dateline: 30th May, 2003 News from the Midlands Haymarket Closure Raised in the CommonsThe plight of Leicester's Haymarket Theatre, which will close in July, is to be raised in the House of Commons. The theatre has announced it will shut for about a year because of debts totalling £450,000. The board has made an emergency bid to Arts Council England for extra funds. Leicester South MP Jim Marshall will present an Early Day Motion in Parliament. He hopes other MPs will lend their support and help to find an alternative solution to the closure. More than 200 people have signed a petition calling for the Haymarket to remain open. Staff, 75 of whom will be made redundant, have been handing out leaflets urging people to lobby theatre managers, MPs and councillors about the closure. Don't shoot the Messenger!Another big name has had to pull out of Nottingham Theatre Royal's Christmas pantomime. Melinda Messenger, who was due to play the star role in Cinderella, has withdrawn because she is expecting her third child in December. Stepping into her stilettos is Alex Lovell, Disney Club's Little Alex and presenter of Channel 5's daytime quiz show Brainteaser. Earlier this year Barbara Windsor, due to play the Fairy Godmother, had to stand down because of a stress-related illness. Her magic wand has been passed on to Danny La Rue. Bobby Davro (Buttons) also stars in the show which runs for six weeks from December 13th to January 25th. Meanwhile, across the city, Nottingham Playhouse has announced that Kenneth Alan Taylor will again be starring in its Christmas production - his 20th consecutive panto for the Playhouse as writer and director. He has decided to don his frocks and wigs for one of the greatest dame characters of all, Widow Twankey in Aladdin. It will run from November 29th until January 17th Playhouse spokesman Ioan Reed-Aspley said: "Last year's panto broke all box-office records. We're hoping to do even better this year." The Playhouse will be holding an open day next Saturday, June 7th. Theatregoers have been promised that they can access all areas.
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