Lockdown rules: When do theatres reopen?
After a year without live plays, musicals and comedy due to the coronavirus pandemic, theatres are finally able to reopen their doors once more.
While venues have sporadically been able to open for short periods of time in different parts of the country, no shows have been able to run for an extended period over the past 14 months.
However, today (Monday 17 May) marks the day that the UK enters step three of the roadmap out of lockdown.
Under this stage, indoor and outdoor theatres can reopen, with groups from two households or a rule of six also able to meet inside and have “friendly, intimate contact”. However, there will be limits on how many people can attend events.
Shows opening on Monday will play to socially distanced audiences, with strict measures in place to ensure that high standards of safety are upheld.
A number of these measures include wearing of masks in communal areas, staggered entry times, temperature checks on arrival and cleaning of venues between shows, in addition to social distancing between ticketholders.
Venues are typically only selling tickets to singular households or support bubbles up to the rule of six.
Subject to change, all limits on social contact will be lifted on 21 June, with theatres therefore able to open beyond the limits put in place under stage three.
With these guidelines for reopening in place, many theatres have announced their programming for May and June and the safety measures they will have in place.
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