Andrew Lloyd Webber will begin trial performances this week with a socially distanced audience in place.

The composer has spoken more in depth about his plans for the pilot performances, which will take place this week at The London Palladium with recording artist and West End star, Beverley Knight. The Government announced the pilots last week to measure the success of socially distanced indoor shows (stage 4 on the roadmap for those of you who are counting!), ahead of a planned return on 1 August.

When speaking to the BBC, Lloyd Webber demonstrated high tech temperature scanners, which match faces to readings, as well as kit imported from Korea where theatre shows have already been able to resume. The machine sprays audience members with a sizeable amount of anti-viral spray and if the success of South Korea’s theatrical reopening’s are anything to go by, it seems to work well.

While Thursday’s trials must adhere to social distancing, Lloyd Webber is keen to get venues back up to their full capacity: “Theatre can’t run with social distancing. It’s just not economically possible. The average play needs a 65% capacity, while the average musical needs more. That’s before it even starts to repay anything.

"We need to get to a pilot where we don't need social distancing, which is why we've put all of these measures in at the Palladium. It's not to prove, and I must stress this, that the Palladium can work, it's to prove that every venue can work. With very basic measures it is possible to reopen venues and concert halls.

"We have to rely on having the most stringent measures backstage...My view is that everyone should be tested daily."

Whilst the short booking period for Thursday’s concert was meant to be open until 12pm on Wednesday 22 July, all tickets have now been claimed with the venue having circulated a useful visitor guide for the day to those successful.