When will London theatres reopen and what covid-safe changes are they making?

The announcement of a second lockdown is a setback for the theatre industry, which had just begun its first tentative steps to reopening.

After being out of action for most of the year, venues across London were just beginning to announce plans to welcome back live audiences in socially distanced auditoriums.

The National Theatre’s reopening production, Death of England: Delroy, was due to have its press night this week. Now, from Thursday, the remainder of its run will be cancelled.

There is hope that productions scheduled for December will still be able to go ahead, given that the second lockdown is currently only confirmed to last until December 2. Michael Gove’s admission that it could be extended beyond this date leaves some uncertainty.

Here's what we know so far about what the latest restrictions mean for the reopening of the theatre industry.

When will London theatres reopen?

It was only recently that socially distanced indoor performances had started to go ahead, with audience members seated together in bubbles. Adam Kay’s This Is Going to Hurt opened at the Apollo Theatre at the end of October, with Six the Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and The Play That Goes Wrong all due to reopen in the West End in November

Now theatres will not be able to reopen until after at least December 2, when the second lockdown is currently due to end.

It has already been confirmed by Sonia Friedman Productions that its forthcoming comedy, The Comeback, will still go ahead as planned from December 8, while National Theatre boss Rufus Norris told the Standard that it will press ahead with plans for its Christmas panto.

Kenny Wax, the producer of Six the Musical, said that it would move its November reopening to December, so that "when restrictions are lifted, we will be ready to go, providing employment, entertaining our loyal fans, giving hope for a brighter 2021 and lighting up Shaftesbury Avenue once again after its prolonged closure.”

A spokesperson for Qdos, the producers of Pantoland at the Palladium, said: “We’re looking forward to starting rehearsals at the Palladium in a Covid-secure environment in early December and based on the Government’s announced lockdown timeframe will open Pantoland at The Palladium on 12 December 2020 as planned.  Performances will run in accordance with a wide suite of health and safety measures (including reconfiguration of seating across the venue and the mandatory wearing of face coverings) which will keep audiences, staff and crews safe.”

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden confirmed that rehearsals would be able to continue during lockdown, as would livestreamed performances without audiences.

How will the theatres ensure safety?

Theatre venues have undergone a number of significant changes in order to become Covid-secure for both staff and audiences.

Perhaps most noticeably, auditoriums have been altered to allow audience members to sit socially distanced, meaning a reduced capacity. Face coverings must be worn by audience members during performances. The use of e-tickets, contactless payments, preordered drinks, one-way systems and timed entry into the building are all further examples of ways that theatres are staying safe, as well as - obviously - introducing sanitising stations and more regular cleaning.

Which West End shows have postponed opening?

Some of this year’s most anticipated productions have been postponed until next year.

Frozen, Sister Act starring Whoopi Goldberg and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new Cinderella musical have all been moved to new dates in 2021. Some productions, such as Timothee Chalamet’s West End debut in 4000 Miles and Sunday in the Park With George starring Jake Gyllenhaal, have been postponed with no new dates yet confirmed.

Our guide to London's rescheduled shows can be found here.