Barn Theatre cancels Jeeves and Wooster performances over potential Covid exposure

Cirencester’s Barn Theatre has cancelled the remainder of this week’s performances of Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense, after a company member was potentially exposed to Covid-19.

The theatre said the individual in question was not at the venue when they may have come into contact with the virus, and had recently tested negative.

However, it said it would be postponing performances until the full show company has tested negative. Performances on June 17, 18 and 19 will therefore not be going ahead.

A spokesperson said: "The health and safety for the show company, our staff and our audiences remain the theatre’s utmost priority and although it is heart-breaking after such a devastating year for our industry to have to cancel performances, the safety of all those involved with our theatre must always come first."

The play, co-produced with the Theatre Chipping Norton, had planned to hold a gala performance tonight (June 17) to mark the start of the Barn’s recovery season. The theatre had already rescheduled its run because of the pandemic.

Jeeves and Wooster is the latest in a string of shows that have been forced to cancel performances after potential or actual Covid-19 cases among the cast and crew.

Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre cancelled a run of a new musical after a company member tested positive, while West End play Walden cancelled a performance last month after a backstage staff member was told to isolate. It resumed the following night after all cast and crew tested negative.