Actors andstaffchoked backthe tears as the curtain finally fell on Southend's oldest theatre.

A production of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night formed the poignant backdrop as the Palace shut its doors for the last time for nine months.

A leading cast member, who appeared on stage at the end of Saturday's play, summed up the thoughts of many theatregoers.

He said:"This is the only time we have played at a theatre which is earmarked for closure the next day.

"We feel it is a damned disgrace. We don't know what you can do, but we wish you all luck."

Up to 42 jobs have been axed as part of the controversial closure, designed to offset a serious cash crisis at the 86-year-old venue.

However, the Palace board has stressed its commitment to re-opening the venue in December under a new management team - possibly a private company.

Southend-based medical instrumentscompany, KeyMed, has also stepped in with a cash handout to refurbish part of the theatre.

It is promisedthat the new Palace will be better than ever with a mixed programme of professional theatre, both in-house and touring, community arts, drama and amateur productions.

Seven management companies have now been selected to draw up proposals for the future running of the theatre.

IanDownie,board chairman,said: "The companies who are being asked to draw up businessplansare allseriouscontenders from a theatrical management or production background.

"We arevery confident that we can put the financial woes of the Palace behind us and make a fresh start with a Christmas show and a new Palace Theatre of which we can all be proud."

But campaigners are not convinced.

They fear it willbecome nothingmore than a venue for other people's productions - its hard-earned name as a producing theatre nothing more than a fading memory.

Stalwart supporter David Amess , MP for Southend West, was today due to urge the Government to put its weight behind the future of the blighted theatre.

He will do this with the help of a 6,000 signature petition which urges the Government to step in to secure the Palace as a predominantly producing theatre.

Philip Giles, chairman of the Action for the Palace Theatre Group, said the closure marked the end of an era.

He said: "We are concerned it will never re-open as the national award-winning theatre it once was.

"All 42 of its staff have been made redundant - their expertise lost forever.

"How can it ever be the same again?"

Petition - MP David Amess with the petition and Action Committee chairman Philip Giles and staff member Joan Watson Staff left reeling

Staff are reeling from the nine-month shutdown of the Palace Theatre.

An air of despondency and disbelief filled the venue as the doors were finally locked on Saturday night.

In a statement released today, theatre workers claimed they were effectively gagged on the closure on at least three separate occasions.

They also stepped up their attack on the Palace Theatre Board and called for a new trust to be formed to take the venue into the next century.

The statement added: "A very conservative estimate of the closure costs, including redundancy payments, pension costs, administrators' fees and security of the building is in the region of £95,000.

"This added to the current year's deficit estimated to be in the region of £20,000 leaves an unrealistic sum for the provision of a programme from December.

"Hiring, training and set-up costs have not been included in these figures."

Workers also claimed the £56,000 pledged by Southend Council during budget time was for essential health and safety works for the theatre.

They added: "These are believed to be items such as asbestos removal, upgrading stage scenery winches, auditorium roof leakage and fire exit signage required under new legislation in December 1998."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.