A chorus of despair from our theatres
Industry attacks ‘new bungle’
THE four-week delay to full reopening of theatres was condemned last night as ‘yet another bungle’.
The industry will continue to operate largely under the current cap of 50 per cent capacity until July 19 amid widespread fears for its future.
The setback came as ministers refused to publish the results of a study understood to have concluded it would be safe to reopen.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden commissioned theatre director Sir Nicholas Hytner and philanthropist David Ross, co-founder of Carphone Warehouse, to oversee a series of reopening pilots. Theatregoers were tested on arrival
‘We must be cautious again’
and given PCR tests to take home in case they got Covid in subsequent days.
It is understood to have concluded it was very likely reopening theatres would be safe with testing in place. But it was not conclusive because not enough people returned the PCR tests.
A Government source said it was ‘very successful’ but ‘ we’re still working through that data’.
Andrew Lloyd Webber said the report had been ‘buried’.
He had earlier learnt his new production Cinderella may be allowed to run at 75 per cent capacity as part of another pilot scheme before full reopening.
This was revealed during Boris Johnson’s Downing Street press conference yesterday. Describing the theatre industry as one of the ‘great glories’ of this country, the Prime Minister said: ‘It’s broken everybody’s heart to see what we’ve had to go through and I bitterly regret the fact that we must be cautious again now.’
He added that he hoped up to 20 pilot events, including Cinderella, will go ahead in the next four weeks. Lord Lloyd-Webber, who has threatened to fill his West End venues even if he faced arrest, said he was ‘pleased and surprised’ but would not comment further until he knew more about the scheme.
But others warned the industry warned faced collapse.
Sir Howard Panter and Dame Rosemary Squire, of the Trafalgar
Entertainment theatre group, said: ‘This delay is yet another bungle from a Government that wouldn’t be given a single star in a review of its performance.
‘The confusion and muddled messages are reminiscent of a West End farce.’
They argued the Government’s own data show a trip to the theatre is less dangerous than going to pubs, restaurants or supermarkets, adding: ‘Enough is enough. Let audiences in.’
Playwright James Graham said the delay was ‘close to fatal’ for the West End.
West End producer Sonia Friedman, whose shows include Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, said ‘many livelihoods are under existential threat’ from the delay.