Theatres Trust response to audiences back in theatres from 1 August

Theatres Trust welcomes the Prime Minister’s announcement today that theatres can reopen from 1 August for live performances with a socially distanced audience. Alongside the support package and performing arts guidance announced last week, this is a step in the right direction, but for most theatres it will not be economically viable to reopen with 30-40% audience required under social distancing.

We now need to progress as quickly as possible to an announcement on the all-important stage 5, allowing theatres to reopen fully with the appropriate safety measures. Without this most theatres cannot reopen viably and we need the go-ahead for Christmas shows, on which the survival of many theatres depends, in the next few weeks at the very latest.

Read the DCMS press release.