583 posts
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Post by princeton on Jul 19, 2021 15:22:49 GMT
Presumably this is the ten-day isolation period which is in the current guidelines, and has led to the temporary closure of Hairspray, Prince of Egypt and R&J at the Open Air Theatre amongst others, so not entirely surprising given that the positive case was discovered on Saturday.
Whilst it's undoubtedly a big setback and ghastly for all those involved, muddled comms lines and press release-speak aren't helpful either. As for describing a cast member as having a cameo role.......
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Post by stagebyte on Jul 19, 2021 15:23:35 GMT
It does seem a fast moving situation if CHF was giving away free tickets to tonight’s performance just a few hours ago.
I just can’t see how they thought it could go ahead even if the person was in a cameo role (I think we can guess which one based on the person who was being rehearsed in) they were in a dressing room with others, costume, mic fitting, warm up and also singing with ensemble in the finale? How could they *not* have been able to foresee cancellation due to isolation? They refused any pilot scheme so the same rules would apply to them as to us? Close contact with a Covid case - 10 days isolation?
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Post by anthem on Jul 19, 2021 15:25:12 GMT
The statement is poorly drafted. It makes it sound like the show has closed permanently.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 15:29:39 GMT
"Despite this, the impossible conditions created by the blunt instrument that is the Government's isolation guidance, mean that we cannot continue."
To me this reads as "It's not fair that we should have to obey the rules when I think I know better than everyone else". What does he expect should happen? That if he thinks he's important enough then somehow the virus will let him off? That petulant attitude has destroyed any sympathy I had for his position.
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Post by ronnette on Jul 19, 2021 15:31:37 GMT
It reads like toys being thrown out a prom. He would be foolish and disrespectful to audiences if it gets cancelled permanently. Which seems very very unlikely. Perhaps they ARE using the time to make all the necessary changes but blaming the government to get more press focus? This is my thoughts. I think they are using covid as a means to close for a while to make the huge changes needed. Happy to be wrong though. If it’s a cameo role that has tested positive, how many close contacts will they have in the cast? And why can’t they cover those roles? Surely they have swings? |
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Post by hairspray57 on Jul 19, 2021 15:31:49 GMT
The statement is poorly drafted. It makes it sound like the show has closed permanently. Perhaps that is the case. He did say he would move it elsewhere to open if he couldn’t do it under Covid rules. So perhaps he is taking it to Europe or the USA. |
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 19, 2021 15:36:30 GMT
Just got emailed my tickets for the 20th :') Something tells me I won't be needing them
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108 posts
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Post by bob2010 on Jul 19, 2021 15:37:13 GMT
Andrew Lloyd Webber has released this statement today regarding performances of Cinderella:
"Today, on this “Freedom Day”, I have been forced to take the heart-breaking decision not to open my Cinderella.
At Cinderella, from the outset, we have employed a rigorous daily testing system for all the cast and backstage crew before they begin work. On Saturday, as part of this process, we identified one positive case in a member of our cast who has a cameo role in the show. As a precautionary measure, we cancelled two shows on Saturday while we carried out further tests on everyone backstage, which were negative. Any of those who were identified as a close contact of the positive case were given additional PCR tests. These tests too were negative. This morning we carried out additional tests on those due to perform tonight. Every one of them was negative.
Despite this, the impossible conditions created by the blunt instrument that is the Government’s isolation guidance, mean that we cannot continue. We have been forced into a devastating decision which will affect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people and disappoint the thousands who have booked to see the show.
Cinderella was ready to go. My sadness for our cast and crew, our loyal audience and the industry I have been fighting for is impossible to put into words.
Freedom Day has turned into closure day." - Andrew Lloyd Webber
We will be in touch as soon as we can to reschedule your dates. Please bear with us and don’t contact us until we’ve contacted you.
For now, we would like to thank you for your ongoing support and patience and we look forward to welcoming you back soon.
With our best wishes,
The LW Theatres Team
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640 posts
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Post by christya on Jul 19, 2021 15:41:28 GMT
Yes, just got this about my booking on Wednesday. With my train tickets and hotel already booked, I'd better find something else to see then!
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3,476 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jul 19, 2021 15:45:14 GMT
It reads like toys being thrown out a prom. He would be foolish and disrespectful to audiences if it gets cancelled permanently. Which seems very very unlikely. Perhaps they ARE using the time to make all the necessary changes but blaming the government to get more press focus? I've a hunch that's the case. I love this show but it's far from flawless and needs work (with a director focused on the job in hand, or even just a decent director). This show could be superb if it had a proper director at the helm. ALW - save yourself some cash and get Nunn to fix what's artistically wrong and make this piece great. |
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Post by Seriously on Jul 19, 2021 15:47:32 GMT
I wonder how much money has been invested? I can't seem him throwing all that away.
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156 posts
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Post by meister on Jul 19, 2021 15:52:18 GMT
Just had an email saying “We will be in touch as soon as we can to reschedule your dates.”
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3,476 posts
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Post by ceebee on Jul 19, 2021 15:52:30 GMT
Here's a theory. Chaos breeds chaos. ALW's need to micromanage so many facets of production seems to be biting him on the rrrs. By neutering the director's ability to have the final say (plus allowing him to work on a sideshow production at the Palladium) it seems that the cast and crew have been unnecessarily tied in knots over recent days and weeks. If he has any sense, he'll stop emoting and pratting about with the press, and focus on sorting out this whole mess with people of calibre holding him to account. That would be true leadership and artistic integrity, not the safe pair of marigolds that is Connor doing bidding to his master's voice. Cinderella could be a masterpiece with a decent director and some cuts and tweaks. This show, cast and crew deserve better than the sh1tshow that is supposed to be running the whole damned thing.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 19, 2021 15:52:52 GMT
Considering the emails mention rescheduling tickets, I don't think permanent cancellation is on the cards.
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 19, 2021 15:54:18 GMT
Also now received a text confirming cancellation for today and referring to emails for more info (which as stated above is currently just that they'll be in touch to reschedule).
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Post by stagebyte on Jul 19, 2021 15:59:28 GMT
It gets more intriguing Zawahari on the news now live in the commons announcing that from Sept everyone over 18 will have been offered both jabs and every 17 year old within three months of their 18th wi be offered their first. From the end of Sept Only the doubled jabbed will be allowed access to music gigs and nightclubs and ‘other large venues’ negative tests will no longer be accepted
I guess theatres come under that umbrella
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Post by Jon on Jul 19, 2021 16:05:34 GMT
It gets more intriguing Zawahari on the news now live in the commons announcing that from Sept everyone over 18 will have been offered both jabs and every 17 year old within three months of their 18th wi be offered their first. Only the doubled jabbed will be allowed access to music gigs and nightclubs (theatres not mentioned) negative tests will no longer be accepted With music gigs and night clubs, I can sort of understand because of people standing together in close proximity which usually isn't the case for theatre. I do respect ALW and he's done great work championing the theatre industry but he does tend to shoot his mouth off. Things like saying that the Chinese want to buy our theatres for example which he's said in a few interviews is nothing short of xenophobic. |
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Post by stagebyte on Jul 19, 2021 16:16:25 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 16:16:43 GMT
Hang on This seems to suggest that close contacts of the cast member (who has Covid) because they’ve tested negative on a PCR they seem to be able to continue after a couple of days? I’m not wishing further cancellations but until Aug 16th Under current law (whether you agree with it or not) close contacts need to isolate for 10 days regardless of a negative PCR as you can develop Covid later - that’s what the isolation period is for? So they should be isolating too? Up to now if it had been as simple as getting a negative PCR immediately after being in close contact with a Covid case then thousands upon thousands would’ve been able to do that? By my reckoning if the case was identified on Sat then any close contacts in the cast and crew shouldn’t return until Tuesday July 27th Given Boris's initial statement yesterday, giving himself a free pass not to self isolate, maybe ALW was trying to negotiate Cinderella into that trial scheme too. Or at least waiting to see how the BoJo/Sunak situation would play out before making a decision. |
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Post by Jon on Jul 19, 2021 16:21:05 GMT
I assume the new press night will be Wednesday 28th July. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jul 19, 2021 16:25:29 GMT
This is just awful news.
There are so many people working on these shows- on stage and backstage. The chances of someone else testing positive after this current closure period ends are so high, how are these shows supposed to ever open?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2021 16:26:24 GMT
If you try to book tickets via the website, the LW Theatres website now takes you through to a holding page where it says tickets will be back on sale by Wednesday.
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Post by Jon on Jul 19, 2021 16:31:04 GMT
This is just awful news. There are so many people working on these shows- on stage and backstage. The chances of someone else testing positive after this current closure period ends are so high, how are these shows supposed to ever open? Daily contact testing would be a solution. |
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Post by hairspray57 on Jul 19, 2021 16:47:32 GMT
From the 18th August fully vaccinated cast and crew members won’t have to isolate in cases like this.
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Post by inthenose on Jul 19, 2021 16:51:03 GMT
I fear we are well on our way to another shut down. If the arts do indeed close for business once more, it is hard to see any way back for many productions, potentially including this one. Such a shame.
Did anybody else pick up on Lloyd Webber's language in the written statement? At times it sounds like this closure could be a lot longer term than just the week reported today in the news.
ALW: (emphasis mine)
"We have been forced into a devastating decision which will affect the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people and disappoint the thousands who have booked to see the show," said Lord Lloyd Webber.
"Cinderella was ready to go. My sadness for our cast and crew, our loyal audience and the industry I have been fighting for is impossible to put into words."
This looks like it could be really bad. Thoughts and prayers to all those employed by the production that they can indeed reopen swiftly.
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