Staff at The Orchard Theatre have been delighted to welcome back audiences after almost 18 months in darkness.

The venue was able to open its doors again on August 31 after months of lockdowns and uncertainty.

And it seems theatre director Lorna Strawson has been counting the days since the curtains came down.

Speaking about re-opening night, said: "The Orchard team have worked incredibly hard to ensure the return was without a hitch and I was extremely proud of what they achieved. The hustle, bustle and much missed atmosphere returned after 531 days and we could never have expected the overwhelming joy we, the staff and the customers too, felt that evening."

Ticket office manager Matt Holt admitted he didn't realise the theatre would be closed for such a long time.

He explained: "Closing the doors of the theatre last year was a very strange. Many of us thought a small break was just what the doctor ordered but who knew it would continue well into 2021."

While not at work, Matt has been doing his bit to help others during the pandemic. He volunteered as an NHS responder,running errands for vulnerable people in Gravesend who couldn't get out, and also spent time working in a vaccination centre in Cliffe Woods.

"The hustle, bustle and much missed atmosphere returned after 531 days and we could never have expected the overwhelming joy we, the staff and the customers too, felt that evening."

Matt, a member of Istead and Ifield Harriers running club, based in Gravesend, said: "I’m a keen runner and walker so last summer was full of exploring new routes and places then the winter came and it wasn’t quite the same with the wet and windy weather so I had to look at other ways to entertain myself. I signed up to be a NHS responder and did various things for the vulnerable which included shopping, picking up prescriptions. It was more rewarding then I could have ever imagined.

"In January, I decided to volunteer in a vaccination clinic and realised just how much I missed mixing with people. It was a strange feeling at first as I came to realise that I was one of the first people some people had chatted to since the start of the pandemic.

"I volunteered in Cliffs Wood Community Centre where quite a few of us became regulars and it quickly become a friendly place to be."

As much as he enjoyed his time as a volunteer, Matt was pleased to get back to his usual job.

He said: "When I was asked to return to The Orchard Theatre, I welcomed it with open arms. During the first couple of months, it felt like a very strange place to be as we were still closed and there wasn’t hardly any interaction with our patrons. The life from the theatre was absent without the presence of an audience.

"We all had an end goal in sight which was to open our doors again and the first show that was planned was Rocky Horror Show which is one of my favourites. We opened the doors to a very enthusiastic audience and along with myself, everyone thoroughly enjoyed the show. The was up dancing at the end and singing along to the time warp which was exciting to see after all this time."