A PERFORMANCE group has had to cancel its upcoming show next week due to an "unfinished theatre".

Members of Dumbarton People’s Theatre (DPT) were preparing to return to the Denny Civic Theatre for the first time in almost three years to present The Memory of Water, a black comedy by Shelagh Stephenson.

The Denny Civic Theatre has been closed since March 2020 due to the pandemic and, latterly, because of work to update the sound and lighting, as well as other audience facilities.

The group had been due to perform in the theatre for the first time since before the pandemic - but announced on social media on Wednesday (November 23) that it is now having to cancel the show as it claims there is still substantial work to be completed in the venue.

In a statement, Dumbarton People's Theatre said: "We had rehearsed, hired set, printed tickets and posters, arranged extensive publicity in the local press and hired a van for the shift in last night.

"Unfortunately when we got there it was clear that the theatre was not ready. There is still a substantial amount of work to do and it would be completely unfair to our audience to proceed with a show in an unfinished theatre.

"We have therefore taken the decision to cancel the play. This is not something that we have done lightly. We were all looking forward to being back on the Denny stage and performing again.

"However we did not want to let our audience down with a sub-standard experience and felt that the only fair thing to do was cancel. Sincere apologies to anyone who had purchased tickets. We will return with The Thirty Nine Steps in March 2023."

People who have purchased tickets through DPT are asked to contact Dumbartonpeoplestheatre@outlook.com for a refund.

If tickets have been purchased from McDermids, people are asked to return the ticket there for a full refund.

West Dunbartonshire Council has been approached for comment.