Dartford Borough Council has now confirmed the theatre will reopen with its pantomime on December 12, after the concrete is removed and upgrades are completed.
Cllr Jeremy Kite, leader of Dartford Borough Council, said: “We’re delighted to be moving into the final stage of this project.
“Work on our beloved Orchard Theatre has turned into a marathon, not a sprint, but it was essential to address every issue that we’ve encountered so that we can have a wonderful facility that will serve this town for years ahead.
“Thank you to residents and theatre-goers for their patience – we’re getting very close to welcoming audiences back later this year.”
Read more:
Where you can watch The Traitors finale in south east London
Harry Styles announces 6 London tour dates hours before new song – how to get tickets
The council has carried out major improvements, including the full removal of Raac from the roof, building upgrades, and improved accessibility. Funding for the project was approved at a cabinet meeting on January 22, with up to £11.6 million allocated for the essential work.
An additional £330,000 was set aside to keep the temporary Orchard West theatre running through to September to ensure performances could continue. The Orchard Theatre will be handed back to Trafalgar Theatres at the end of November 2026, with some works continuing into December.
A small number of performances will be cancelled during the final handover. The theatre will reopen with its pantomime Cinderella, featuring star casting to be announced soon.
Helen Enright, chief executive of Trafalgar Theatres, said: “We’re excited to be working towards taking back the keys to the Orchard Theatre and bringing the full range of live entertainment including large-scale musicals back to its traditional home in Dartford.
“The Orchard Theatre is an important part of the community, and we can’t wait to reopen with an outstanding programme, including our much-loved pantomime season. A heartfelt thank you to our customers for their continued support, patience, and understanding.”
