Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella announces new opening night in August
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella will now open in London’s West End in August, it’s been confirmed.
Lloyd Webber announced earlier this month (July) that the show could not open as planned due to self-isolation rules.
It’s now been revealed that performances will resume on Wednesday, 18 August at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
The show announced on social media: “We are pleased to announce that performances of Cinderella will return on Wednesday 18th August. Thank you for your understanding, we cannot wait to reopen our doors and welcome you all back to Belleville once again.”
Alongside the announcement came a first trailer, which you can watch below!
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella was forced to cancel performances last weekend after a positive case of Covid was identified in the cast.
On the day theatres were given the green light to open to full capacity audiences, Lloyd Webber said: “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 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.”
It was the latest West End musical forced to pause performances for Covid related reasons following the productions of Hairspray and The Prince Of Egypt.
Romeo & Juliet at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has also had to cancel shows while new West End magic show Wonderville has delayed its opening by a week.
The latest cancellation follows union Equity calling for a relaxation in current self-isolation restrictions.
Equity General Secretary Paul W Fleming said: “Equity wants to keep our members safe and continue to support the fight against Covid-19, but current restrictions are disproportionate and not tailored to the needs of the industry. From sport to hospitality, the government is taking a sector-specific approach and we’re just asking them to do the same for live performance and broadcast.
“As planned in England from August, a careful testing regime could and should replace the current blanket isolation approach in place across the UK. If it doesn’t, the vanguard of the UK’s social and economic recovery from Covid could face irreparable damage.”
