Lloyd Webber: Commercial theatre won’t survive unless government steps up

Andrew Lloyd Webber has issued another stark warning about the future of theatre, claiming the commercial sector is unlikely to survive the pandemic without urgent help from the government.

It comes as prime minister Boris Johnson is poised to announced further restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus, which may delay theatre’s path to reopening if the sector is covered by the new, stricter rules.

The composer and theatre impresario said he believed theatre had been “way down the food chain as far as governments are concerned”, as he called for ministers to support the industry through the perilous situation it now faces.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Lloyd Webber said: “I have been in theatre for well over 50 years and of course I have never seen anything like [Covid-19].

“I am going to go so far as to say that I really don’t think theatre – commercial theatre – can survive unless the government does actually step up to the plate and give it a little bit of help.”

He added: “I have noticed that over the years in this country, commercial theatre has been pretty way down the food chain as far as governments are concerned.”

Lloyd Webber said the government was “always going on about the film industry”, and during the pandemic had supported it by underwriting an insurance scheme to help productions restart while the risks of coronavirus remain.

“But does theatre get a look in? No,” Lloyd Webber said.

He is one of many industry figures calling for a government-backed insurance scheme for theatre, equivalent to the film and TV fund, to enable producers to begin creating shows again. They are currently unable to obtain cancellation cover for Covid-19 losses from commercial insurers.

Lloyd Webber went on to say he felt it was “particularly galling” that his pilot performance at the London Palladium, which he said demonstrated that theatres can operate safely, had not led to more restrictions being lifted.

Earlier this month, Lloyd Webber and LW Theatres’ Rebecca Kane Burton expressed their frustration to MPs over the pilot, which they had hoped would lead to government offering a conditional date for when venues can reopen without social distancing measures in place.

Lloyd Webber also told Good Morning Britain about his experiences taking part in the Covid-19 vaccine trial.

“I will do anything to get theatre open,” he said.