Lloyd- Webber fears final curtain
BRITAIN’S commercial theatre sector cannot survive the extended shut- down measures unless the Government “steps up to the plate”, Andrew Lloyd Webber warned.
The Phantom Of The Opera creator, 72, said: “I don’t think commercial theatre can survive unless the Government does now step up to the plate and give it a little bit of help.
“I have noticed, in this country, commercial theatre has been way down the food chain as far as governments have been concerned. They’ll support the film industry, they support television. Does theatre get a look in? No.”
Lord Lloyd- Webber said it was “galling” that he demonstrated “theatres can open completely safely” without social distancing in a pilot performance at the London Palladium in July.
Only a few theatres have been able to reopen because of the financial implications of social distancing.
Venues are waiting to discover how much they will receive in the first hand- out from the £ 1.57billion arts rescue package. Industry insiders say Britain faces becoming a “cultural wasteland” unless sector- specific support is granted
Yesterday it was revealed that a public appeal to save 200 jobs at Edinburgh theatres had raised more than £ 50,000 in a week.