West End Shows closed until 2021
West End Shows Les Mis, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera will not be opening until 2021.
Today we have heard the incredibly sad news that several of the West End’s biggest productions will not be opening until 2021. Producer Cameron Mackintosh, his producing partners and Delfont Mackintosh Theatres have taken the difficult decision to delay the return of their shows Les Miserables, Mary Poppins, Hamilton and The Phantom of the Opera until as early as is practical next year.
It is unknown when the government will be withdrawing social distancing measures and allowing the safe return of theatrical productions, and this has caused continued uncertainty within the sector. As a result of this, a process of consultation over potential redundancies for all employees on these productions has begun.
In a statement Cameron Mackintosh said: “This decision is heart-breaking for me, as I am sure it is for my employees, as everyone who has worked with me over the last 50 years, on or off the stage, knows how much I care about what I do and how I do it.
“Despite the government engaging with the desperate pleas from everyone in the theatre industry, so far there has been no tangible practical support beyond offers to go into debt which I don’t want to do. Their inability to say when the impossible constraints of social distancing will be lifted makes it equally impossible for us to properly plan for whatever the new future is.
“This has forced me to take drastic steps to ensure that I have the resources for my business to survive and enable my shows and theatres to reopen next year when we are permitted to. I have no investors or venture capital backing, everything is funded by me personally and already my companies’ considerable reserves have been massively reduced by the complete closure of our industry everywhere.
“Everything I have made has come from the theatre and everything I have has gone back into these magnificent historic buildings that I have lovingly restored and the spectacular productions I have painstakingly insisted remain in tip top shape wherever they play in the world – resulting in my being one of the biggest employers in the theatre.
“The commercial theatre provides billions of pounds of revenue to the Economy. It is time this is recognised and the government takes action to ensure this priceless resource at which the British people excel is helped to survive. Without our theatres being ablaze with life, London cannot properly reopen as one of the world’s greatest cities.”
It is expected to take several months for the productions to be remounted once social distancing is lifted due to the length of time needed to prepare the shows for performance. It is also thought that it will take some time to rebuild audience confidence and advance bookings.
Customers who have booked to date will be contacted either by the box office, or their original point of purchase. They will be offered a credit voucher, which they will be able to use for priority booking once the new dates are announced, or a refund.
