Tier 3: Theatres respond to continued closure

Yorkshire and the Humber

Leeds Playhouse
Leeds Playhouse is calling on the government to review the exclusion of theatres from the businesses permitted to open in Tier 3 as a "matter of urgency".

The venue has made plans to release a film version of its festive production of A Christmas Carol if it is unable to reopen to live audiences later this month.

Artistic director James Brining said: "It is devastating that the change in rules now means theatres can no longer open in Tier 3.

"The theatre sector has worked tirelessly to develop valuable experience of reopening safely. At Leeds Playhouse we ran five weeks of performances in a Covid-safe way in the run up to lockdown 2.

"Audiences commented on how secure they felt and we regarded the time and money we had invested in this process as completely justified as well as a showing a positive response to the government’s encouragement to open up in a responsible manner as soon as we could. "

Brining added: "I’d welcome a conversation about the science or to see the evidence as to why shops, gyms, restaurants and football stadia can open from December and theatres, with all our Covid precautions, can’t."

Hull Truck
Hull Truck said the news that it would be placed into Tier 3 restrictions meant it would not be able to reopen its building on December 16 for its family Christmas show.

Executive director Janthi Mills-Ward said the loss of this production would be financially challenging, but that the company has developed a more flexible model, thanks to its Culture Recovery Fund grant, which will allow it "try new ways of generating income".

"We were very much looking forward to being able to share the magic of live theatre during the festive season. However, we are now looking at other ways in which Hull Truck Theatre’s Christmas production can be enjoyed by audiences from the comfort and safety of their own homes. We plan to release further information about this over the next week," she said.

Sheffield Theatres
Sheffield Theatres, which will be in Tier 3, said it was “committed to doing everything we can to bring the magic of panto to Sheffield this year”.
“It’s a relief to know that we are able to continue to rehearse shows under the current Tier 3 guidance. Our rehearsals for Damian’s Pop Up Panto will begin on December 6 and we’ll be preparing to welcome audiences back to the buildings from December 16,” it said.

It added: "We know that if we remain in Tier 3 we won’t be able to reopen to the public. We are remaining hopeful that the spread of the virus will slow and that we may move down to Tier 2, in which case we can reopen the Crucible’s doors. Should Sheffield remain in Tier 3 when the first review takes place, we’ll adjust our plans and we hope to share the pantomime online.”

West Midlands

Royal Shakespeare Company
The RSC has pushed back its intended in-person reopening on December 19, which would have seen it welcome audiences back for the first time since March.

It had intended to host two days of performances as part of its Tales for Winter series. The Festive Tales shows intended for December 19 and 20 will now be streamed. The Stage understands that both shows were sold out.

Artistic director Gregory Doran and executive director Catherine Mallyon said: "We are deeply disappointed by the news that Stratford-upon-Avon and the rest of Warwickshire has moved to Tier 3 Covid restrictions.

"We are desperately disappointed with the news as we know audiences want to come and be welcomed back into the theatre. We have worked hard over many weeks to put strong safety measures in place ready for that moment, and we look forward optimistically to 2021 when we will reopen our theatres. Meanwhile, we look forward to sharing our Tales for Winter season online," they said.

"The announcement today means further difficulties and hardship to theatres and freelance colleagues around the country on top of those already faced over the last eight months. Once again we want to give enormous thanks to all of our supporters, audiences and colleagues throughout this period,” Mallyon and Doran added.

Birmingham Repertory Theatre
Birmingham Rep said that, in line with the city becoming a Tier 3 area, it is investigating what this will mean to planned performances of the Nutcracker.

"Teams at both Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Rep are working tirelessly behind the scenes to find a way in which we can bring this magical performance to audiences. We are looking into possible alternatives such as streamed performances and rescheduled shows with confirmed plans to be announced next week,” a spokesman said.

He added: “Ticket holders will be contacted next week regarding their booking and possible alternatives. In order to ensure peace of mind, refunds will be offered if this is the preferred method for the ticket holder.”

Belgrade Theatre, Coventry
Belgrade Theatre in Coventry said that while it had hoped to be allowed to reopen, it had put plans in place to manage being in Tier 3.

The theatre is still hopeful for a move to Tier 2 in the next government review.

Executive director, Joanna Reid, said: "We had already welcomed audiences into the building during the earlier easing of restrictions, so have been operating in a covid-safe way, and have been using the recent lockdown period to refine our strategies.

"Our Panto had already been conceived as an online production, with cinema screenings here at the Belgrade as the add-on, and we hope that we’ll be able to proceed with those - and other - screenings after 16 Dec.

"The rest of our programme, which includes live elements, has covid back-up plans too, but we continue to work to welcome audiences in for a live, shared experience which is what makes theatre so special - and is particularly so in the Christmas period."

East Midlands

Curve, Leicester
Curve’s artistic director, Nikolai Foster, and its chief executive Chris Stafford, said they were devastated that Leicester had been placed into the highest tier.

“We are devastated by the news Leicester has been placed into Tier 3. This news is once again a huge blow for Curve and our city, which has been in a constant form of lockdown since March. We will make further announcements as soon as we are in a position to do so.

"Across our sector, theatres like Curve have worked tirelessly to ensure buildings are safe for productions to be staged and audience members to return. Our heartfelt thoughts go to all of the other theatres who have been placed in Tier 3 and therefore forced to close.”

The theatre is due to open a concert production of Sunset Boulevard on December 18 – subject to the tier review on December 16.

Nottingham Playhouse
As a result of Nottingham being placed into Tier 3, the Playhouse said live performances of its pantomime and family show will not start on December 9 as planned, and will be no earlier than December 16, when the tiers are reviewed.

Chief executive Stephanie Sirr said the theatre was disappointed to remain closed, but said: "We are delighted that our On Demand performances are being made available from mid-December and our Cinderella Online Christmas Eve Special will also go ahead as planned.

"We will be here with two fantastic productions to spread Christmas cheer and theatre magic far and wide, while protecting the safety of our audiences. We will continue to monitor and implement the latest government guidance, and keep everyone informed.”

Derby Theatre
Derby Theatre is due to open its production of The Little Mermaid on December 5, but said it was currently "digesting" the latest restrictions and would be making an announcement shortly.

South West

Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic artistic director Tom Morris has described it as "madness" that theatres are unable to open under Tier 3.

The venue has promised that "Covid will not cancel Christmas in Bristol" even if it must remain closed, and it still planning to stream productions online, including Flying Lovers of Vitebsk from December 3 to 5.

Living Spit’s Beauty and the Beast will still premiere at the Old Vic in December, live or online, as the rules allow.

Morris said: "It just happens that some of the rules in Tier 3 don’t make any sense.

"It’s economically helpful that you can shop in Tier 3. It’s brilliant for health that you can go to the gym in Tier 3. It’s madness that you can’t go to the theatre in Tier 3.

"Sports and Arts are two sides of the same coin nourishing our physical and mental health together and theatres have been the safest of all public spaces ever since we reopened in the summer."

Morris said that the evidence pointing to the safety of theatres with Covid measures in place is "unambiguous" and argued that they are "safer than shops, aeroplanes of three-family Christmases".

He added: "Theatres with approved systems should and must be permitted to open in Tier 3, for the well-being of our public, the economies of our town and city centres, and the survival of our creative industries.

"Alongside many others we are campaigning for a change to the rules with immediate effect."

South East

Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
The Marlowe’s pantomime was due to begin on December 11, and the theatre confirmed that this will be affected by the area going into Tier 3 and that the show would not be able to open for the first two weeks after lockdown.

"Rehearsals are allowed under Tier 3 rules, so they are going ahead. We are being as creative as possible in our contingency planning, and we’ll be in touch directly with customers whose bookings have been affected as soon as we have that plan in place," it said.

Malthouse, Canterbury
The Malthouse said it was "heartbroken" that it had had to cancel its production of Beauty and the Beast, but said the show would return next year. It had been due to run from December 11 to 18.

The Woodville, Gravesend
The Woodville had been due to open its production of Rapunzel on December 11, but said all performances had now been pushed back until at least the review date by the government on December 16.