‘IT MAY TAKE US GENERATIONS TO RECOVER FROM THIS...’
THE THEATRE WORLD - HERE IN MANCHESTER, AND BEYOND - CRIES OUT FOR HELP TO AVOID CATASTROPHE
IT could take theatres generations to recover from the ‘catastrophic’ impact of lockdown, a Manchester arts centre director has warned.
The curtain came down on live performances in March as the country came to a standstill following the coronavirus outbreak.
And venues are still waiting to find out when they can resume.
The first potential casualties of lockdown in Manchester’s theatreland were revealed this week when the Royal Exchange announced it was in consultation with staff over redundancies (for more on that see page 15 of the main paper).
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden set out a five-stage ‘phased return’ plan for the sector last week - but failed to provide any dates or promises of further financial support for the stricken sector.
Theatres and music venues have been told they may reopen from tomorrow, but will not be allowed to stage live performances.
The first two phases of the government roadmap allow rehearsals and training, followed by performances for broadcast and recording purposes, both with no audience present.
Outdoor performances will be the first to go ahead in front of an audience in phase three, followed by indoor performances with a limited, distanced audience in step four, before returning to a fuller capacity in the fifth and final phase.
But venues still have no idea of the timeline they are working towards at each step, and whether they will have the funds to survive until then.
Jon Gilchrist, executive director at First Street theatre and arts centre HOME, said the guidance remained too vague.
“We need clarity on when stages three to five are going to happen, even if it’s just a ‘no earlier than’ date,” he said.
“Unless we get provided with a time frame people are going to have to assume the worst, the impact of which is going to be catastrophic.”
Theatres around the country have already begun redundancy proceedings, including the Theatre Royal in Newcastle and the Theatre Royal Plymouth.
Without financial intervention by the government, more organisations will be forced to follow suit, Jon warned.
“The theatre sector is one of the most creative groups of people I’ve ever encountered. By their nature they can respond and adapt. The sector wouldn’t be crying out for help in the way that it is if it didn’t desperately need it,” he said.
“The extension of the furlough scheme would help, but also there needs to be other interventions to incentivise people to get back into production.
“A lot of venues around the country, us included, don’t purely create their own work and rely on a touring economy. If there’s no work to put into venues, those venues can’t trade and generate any income.
“Some shows are going to take three to four months to get up and running - the lag is enormous.”
HOME plans to reopen its cinema, bar and restaurant on September 4, followed by its gallery and theatre later in autumn depending on the Government guidance at the time.
Jon added: “Everyone is affected by this virus and we’re not expecting in any way that we are more special as a sector than anyone else, but it needs to be seen as a distinctive case that can’t be lumped in with the rest of the hospitality sector.
“It is worth billions of pounds to the economy and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs. To see that eroded will be devastating and may take generations to recover.”
Julia Fawcett OBE, chief executive of The Lowry Theatre and Arts Centre at Salford Quays, said the Culture Secretary’s ‘confusing’ announcement this week had left her feeling lower than she had for a long time.
“Every time you hear something is coming out, you get so optimistic and excited because you think they have obviously been working hard behind the scenes on this, they will have something concrete and we’re all going to be able to get cracking,” she said.
“It isn’t even a road map, let’s face it, it’s a set of aspirations with absolutely no definitive guidance or advice for us here in the sector.
“They have to recognise it’s going to take us time to be able to get things moving and to get audiences back in. It all has to be tempered with a big dose of reality and practicality - dates, and a package of support, if there’s going to be one to get things going again.
“Anything that relies on social distancing isn’t financially sustainable. We need clear guidance.
“Within months of that, I’m absolutely certain that the great sector we have got, and particularly in Greater Manchester, will be up and running again and on top of our game.”
The five stage plan has been outlined as follows:
● Rehearsal and training, with no audiences and adhering to social distancing guidelines
● Performances for broadcast and recording purposes, adhering to social distancing guidelines
● Performances outdoors with an audience plus pilots for indoor performances with a limited distance audience
● Performances allowed indoors/ outdoors (but with a limited distanced audience indoors)
● Performances allowed indoors/ outdoors (with a fuller audience indoors)
Mr Dowden said: “I desperately want to raise the curtain on live performances in theatres and music venues as soon as we can - they are the soul of our nation and a lynchpin of our world beating creative industries.
“We know the challenges theatres must be full to make money, and performers need to be safe on stage as they sing, dance and play instruments - but I am determined to ensure the performing arts do not stay closed longer than is absolutely necessary to protect public health.”
He added: “I know the public wants its theatres open, our brilliant performers want to go back to work, and we will do all we can to get them fully back up and running.”