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Post by The Matthew on Apr 25, 2021 16:21:58 GMT
I personally think masks will be here to stay for a while, and I’m fine with that to be fair but I’m not a glasses wearer, I can see how people wearing glasses get annoyed with them. I'm a glasses-wearer and I've found it's not much of a problem apart from some misting up for a minute or so when entering a warm building from cold weather outside, and that's something I often had to deal with anyway. Some draught-excluder tape along the top of the mask cuts out much of the fogging up, and as summer approaches the problem goes away.
Oh, and there's also the problem of removing the mask because the right-side ear loop always seems to manage to hook itself round that arm of the glasses. That keeps catching me out.
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5,599 posts
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Post by lynette on Apr 25, 2021 22:09:23 GMT
I think we will be masking up regularly in the winter, as they do in say Japan where they mask up if they think they have a cold because they come into close proximity of eachother in for example the commuter trains.
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Post by stagemanager on Apr 26, 2021 0:32:59 GMT
There are a variety of reasons why a lot of producers are not rushing to open their shows on 21st June. Aside from the confidence in the Government roadmap one of the ones that hasn’t been mentioned here is the logistics. Under the current rules and the ones in place assuming the next step is met on May 17th you can’t rehearse a show non socially distanced until after the 21st June. So as most shows will need several weeks if not months of rehearsals to be ready for performance it was always inevitable that most shows were going to not open immediately in June, unless you were directing your show to be distanced.
The producers are also hedging their bets because there is also a problem with track and trace. The government has not announced (or even mentioned) if track and trace will still be in place after June 21st. If it is, it’s a major headache for the shows as it only takes one person in the company to test positive and the whole company would need to go into isolation (assuming a non socially distanced show). There is a behind the scenes push for there to be a system to test your way out of isolation (something that I think should have been in place for a long time). This would mean that in the event that one person tested positive you could test the rest of the company (if required daily) to catch any other positives but the company would not need to isolate.
The producers also want a window of time before their shows open to build up a box office advance but some polling I have seen implies that whilst people are keen to return to the theatres (especially among the population who have been vaccinated), people are not willing to book until they are sure that the shows will be allowed to open. Consequently Producers are expecting people to start booking from after 21st June and have left some time for the advance to build.
I can also say as someone who is caught up in trying to plan in this environment the biggest problem is not knowing what the rules will be. A lot of the rules for the West End are going to be affected by the results of the trial events but as the last one doesn’t take place until 15th May, we are not expecting some guidance until early June. So that is another reason for a delay in reopening dates so that the Producers have time to adapt to whatever rules are set.
All of these things I know are weighing on the minds of the Producers and why they are allowing a window of time before opening dates to see what happens.
My personal view is that we will re-open to be non-socially distanced on 21st June, but some restrictions will stay in place. I think masks “where possible” will still be in place until the majority of the world is vaccinated. So I expect to wear one whilst sitting in the stalls of theatres for a while longer and also on the tube into town, but probably not whilst drinking in a pub. I think vaccine passports or testing will be in place for at least a few months after the June re-opening for potential super spreader events (so I am assuming Large theatre shows but probably not fringe or day to day things like shopping). I can tell you that most West End shows currently have plans in place to continue testing all their staff and casts until September, but are waiting the results of the Government testing events at The Crucible and Wembley etc.
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2021 5:28:55 GMT
So as we move nearer, the long running musicals that have declared seem to have their openings spaced out pretty evenly between end of June and (thus far) October. Certainly there isn't a rush to open in June. I think out of these, only Tina and Hamilton and then the new musical Cinderella are planning June starts (someone correct me if I am wrong). Having been quite sceptical at Boris's last announcement (confirming the April restrictions ease) I now actually think that June 21st WILL happen and shows will be allowed to open without distancing. Things do seem to be going very well in the UK (at last!) My main concern now, is that as yet, with London so so dependent on tourists (for the big musicals I'm referring to) there isn't really the audience to sustain all these shows being open. There may also be a factor of older people and more anxious people not being ready to return. (This isn't the case with anyone I know, but of course one most look outside of one's "social bubble") Anyway, perhaps that is why shows are not in a rush to open. There also seem to be increasing mutterings and rumblings on the covid status certificates. My hunch now is that they may well come in for theatres. That will probably take some organising. And I guess if they become mandatory, theatres will need to offer refunds to patrons who refuse to partake as they booked tickets without thinking this would be the case. Anyway, I am pro the certificates if it helps theatres open. But moreover, I think they will help theatres STAY open next Winter if and when we have the next wave. And I think that is key. If there is one thing I really hope we learn from all the current research, it's how we can keep things safely open while numbers are rising. For at least as long as the hospitals are coping. ‘Hamilton’ moved to August now.
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Post by Jan on Apr 26, 2021 6:07:02 GMT
Somewhat disappointed to see Simon Russell-Beale and assorted theatre luminaries demanding Covid passports be brought in. Only on a "temporary basis" he says. Temporary until when exactly ?
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4,458 posts
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Post by poster J on Apr 26, 2021 7:03:41 GMT
Somewhat disappointed to see Simon Russell-Beale and assorted theatre luminaries demanding Covid passports be brought in. Only on a "temporary basis" he says. Temporary until when exactly ? Why are you disappointed? Eminently sensible move provided there are exemptions for those who cannot have any of the vaccines for medical reasons (certified by a doctor only) or for people who can prove a negative test (which you can get for free). I've yet to see a credible argument against them.
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401 posts
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Post by maggiem on Apr 26, 2021 13:40:22 GMT
So as we move nearer, the long running musicals that have declared seem to have their openings spaced out pretty evenly between end of June and (thus far) October. Certainly there isn't a rush to open in June. I think out of these, only Tina and Hamilton and then the new musical Cinderella are planning June starts (someone correct me if I am wrong). Having been quite sceptical at Boris's last announcement (confirming the April restrictions ease) I now actually think that June 21st WILL happen and shows will be allowed to open without distancing. Things do seem to be going very well in the UK (at last!) My main concern now, is that as yet, with London so so dependent on tourists (for the big musicals I'm referring to) there isn't really the audience to sustain all these shows being open. There may also be a factor of older people and more anxious people not being ready to return. (This isn't the case with anyone I know, but of course one most look outside of one's "social bubble") Anyway, perhaps that is why shows are not in a rush to open. There also seem to be increasing mutterings and rumblings on the covid status certificates. My hunch now is that they may well come in for theatres. That will probably take some organising. And I guess if they become mandatory, theatres will need to offer refunds to patrons who refuse to partake as they booked tickets without thinking this would be the case. Anyway, I am pro the certificates if it helps theatres open. But moreover, I think they will help theatres STAY open next Winter if and when we have the next wave. And I think that is key. If there is one thing I really hope we learn from all the current research, it's how we can keep things safely open while numbers are rising. For at least as long as the hospitals are coping. ‘Hamilton’ moved to August now. When in August? I can't see anything on the DMT website.
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2021 13:55:15 GMT
I had an email I think...from about the 20th I think? Might have been on twitter or an email because I have something booked.
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2021 14:36:52 GMT
I really can’t remember. Pretty sure I didn’t dream it.
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Apr 26, 2021 16:03:11 GMT
There are a variety of reasons why a lot of producers are not rushing to open their shows on 21st June. Aside from the confidence in the Government roadmap one of the ones that hasn’t been mentioned here is the logistics. Under the current rules and the ones in place assuming the next step is met on May 17th you can’t rehearse a show non socially distanced until after the 21st June. So as most shows will need several weeks if not months of rehearsals to be ready for performance it was always inevitable that most shows were going to not open immediately in June, unless you were directing your show to be distanced. The producers are also hedging their bets because there is also a problem with track and trace. The government has not announced (or even mentioned) if track and trace will still be in place after June 21st. If it is, it’s a major headache for the shows as it only takes one person in the company to test positive and the whole company would need to go into isolation (assuming a non socially distanced show). There is a behind the scenes push for there to be a system to test your way out of isolation (something that I think should have been in place for a long time). This would mean that in the event that one person tested positive you could test the rest of the company (if required daily) to catch any other positives but the company would not need to isolate. The producers also want a window of time before their shows open to build up a box office advance but some polling I have seen implies that whilst people are keen to return to the theatres (especially among the population who have been vaccinated), people are not willing to book until they are sure that the shows will be allowed to open. Consequently Producers are expecting people to start booking from after 21st June and have left some time for the advance to build. I can also say as someone who is caught up in trying to plan in this environment the biggest problem is not knowing what the rules will be. A lot of the rules for the West End are going to be affected by the results of the trial events but as the last one doesn’t take place until 15th May, we are not expecting some guidance until early June. So that is another reason for a delay in reopening dates so that the Producers have time to adapt to whatever rules are set. All of these things I know are weighing on the minds of the Producers and why they are allowing a window of time before opening dates to see what happens. My personal view is that we will re-open to be non-socially distanced on 21st June, but some restrictions will stay in place. I think masks “where possible” will still be in place until the majority of the world is vaccinated. So I expect to wear one whilst sitting in the stalls of theatres for a while longer and also on the tube into town, but probably not whilst drinking in a pub. I think vaccine passports or testing will be in place for at least a few months after the June re-opening for potential super spreader events (so I am assuming Large theatre shows but probably not fringe or day to day things like shopping). I can tell you that most West End shows currently have plans in place to continue testing all their staff and casts until September, but are waiting the results of the Government testing events at The Crucible and Wembley etc. I also think a big factor is that many theatres and producers got their fingers bitten in December. Restrictions were lifted gradually, they were given the go ahead to open having plunged money into covid-proofing their venues and productions, they rehearsed, went into previews (some opened) and then - BOOM - the government suddenly shut them down again. It was warranted, granted, due to the second wave. But I can understand heavy caution in investing any more into this second promised re-opening.
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585 posts
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Post by christya on Apr 26, 2021 16:04:52 GMT
I was booked for June and haven't had anything, but I went onto the website randomly and noticed June was offsale. I'm not surprised, since they never told me May was offsale either. I'm not actually convinced they have a real reopening date yet.
Aaand edited to add: I've actually just been back onto the Hamilton website and June is back onsale. No clue what's going on here then.
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Post by marob on Apr 26, 2021 20:54:18 GMT
I was quite pleased to see my local theatre’s just announced a new season of socially distanced shows over the next few months. Then I took a look at the seating plans, and some shows only have tickets in pairs, others only in groups of three and four.
While I’d kinda expect it from ATG or some London theatres, I’m a little surprised at the lack of provision for solo theatregoers.
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Post by steve10086 on Apr 26, 2021 21:26:59 GMT
I was quite pleased to see my local theatre’s just announced a new season of socially distanced shows over the next few months. Then I took a look at the seating plans, and some shows only have tickets in pairs, others only in groups of three and four. While I’d kinda expect it from ATG or some London theatres, I’m a little surprised at the lack of provision for solo theatregoers. Probably the only way they can make it financially viable. A single seat in a socially distanced venue eats up a lot of space and revenue.
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Post by talkingheads on Apr 27, 2021 7:00:28 GMT
I won't support anywhere that doesn't provide for solo theatregoers (not that I have much choice if they won't sell me a seat!)
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18,917 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 27, 2021 7:06:07 GMT
To be fair though, most theatregoers aren’t solo and as annoying as it may be to those of us who do attend as a single I don’t really expect to be accommodated with 3 seats when I’m only paying for one of them. As soon as the SD is allowed to be dropped theatres will drop it. It won’t be long now.
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290 posts
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Post by southstreet on Apr 27, 2021 8:17:14 GMT
I am also someone that often goes to the theatre on her own, and if I don't go on my own, I go with friends, I don't have anyone in my household that I go see shows with.
As we no longer have the tiers, I guess we can book pairs and mix households in those pairs once SD theatre comes back into play. But last year when there were tiers and no indoor household mixing was allowed for anyone but tier 1, that meant that lots of people that would have happily adhered to the rules and booked single seats were forced to either not see something they wanted or break the household mixing rules.
Whilst I still think that they should always provide single seats in SD seating plans, at least now I can go with a friend and book with them without breaking rules, so I find it 'slightly' less annoying.
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Post by talkingheads on Apr 27, 2021 23:25:27 GMT
A depressing but realistic thread:
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Post by lynette on Apr 28, 2021 12:38:13 GMT
Maybe depressing but I do not see how a pandemic of this nature can be ‘over’ overnight. We shall need careful management of crowds, masks perhaps voluntary and jabs ad infinitum. Not to mention the scientific monitoring of new variants, effective treatments and so on. Just as we do for other contagious diseases. All the time. And of course, do not forget the affect on our mental health. We have, as a nation, as a planet, had a nasty shock. This will take a long time to process. Nowadays we like everything instant. I”m as impatient as the next person, but this is a slow burner. It feeds into the worst fears of mankind and I expect will turn up for many years in our arts and cultural development., though as with other shocks, we might like to bury it for a while.
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2,361 posts
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Post by zahidf on Apr 29, 2021 12:48:19 GMT
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Post by poster J on Apr 29, 2021 13:47:57 GMT
Yet Broadway producers are all saying they need six months to build a sufficient advance to justify re-starting rehearsals. I think the NY mayor is in dreamland about how Broadway actually works...
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4,603 posts
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Post by Mark on Apr 29, 2021 21:04:19 GMT
Looking good!
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Post by firefingers on Apr 30, 2021 8:38:43 GMT
Maybe depressing but I do not see how a pandemic of this nature can be ‘over’ overnight. With respect, it's hardly overnight Lynette. We've been vaccinating people now for five months. We've been changing how we live and act for 14 months. At current vaccination rates every single adult in the UK will have been given at least one jab by the end of July. 70% of adults in England now have Covid antibodies, making outbreaks less likely. We have successfully reopened schools and then retail/partial hospitality without seeing a spike in cases (though they have plateaued, but they plateaued when schools opened and then started to drop again). You are right to say that a total remove of any effects of Covid won't be happening anytime soon (even in NZ they still wear masks on public transport), but I think any stuff remaining after the summer will be so minor as to barely require much thought bar masking up when in very close proximity (so not in theatres or museums but possibly on the tube between the two) and getting a booster jab. The much greater problem (London) theatre faces will be getting the virus sorted in other countries to allow tourists to flow back in, and I think this is what is causing some shows not to open until the autumn when global travel should be possible.
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2,361 posts
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Post by zahidf on Apr 30, 2021 20:50:00 GMT
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2,361 posts
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Post by zahidf on May 1, 2021 18:58:15 GMT
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Post by lynette on May 2, 2021 21:10:24 GMT
Hi guys, please don’t just post stuff from other platforms. We can find other platforms if we want to. People come to the Board for the unique take of theatregoers and for our own opinions.
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Post by HereForTheatre on May 3, 2021 15:59:35 GMT
I really don't think you will have to prove that you have had a vaccine or negative test to get into pubs and restaurants. There is no realistic way that could be policed properly. Fair enough for events and things like theatres and cinemas but I find it highly doubtful that we'll be required to do that simply to gain access to our local pubs and cafes.
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Post by Mark on May 3, 2021 16:39:50 GMT
I really don't think you will have to prove that you have had a vaccine or negative test to get into pubs and restaurants. There is no realistic way that could be policed properly. Fair enough for events and things like theatres and cinemas but I find it highly doubtful that we'll be required to do that simply to gain access to our local pubs and cafes. I'm still cautious about the test requirements. I haven't had a vaccine yet, and I know for the trials they've been doing, everyone had to go to a site to have their LFT (I'd guess this was due to reliability and ensuring everyone reported it correctly). I'm very much for a vaccine passport, but only once everyone has actually been offered their vaccines. We surely can't have a case where so me people can just flash their JAB confirmation for entry into a theatre, whilst the mostly younger generation will need to faff about going to a testing centre on the day of the event to have a test administered?
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Post by poster J on May 3, 2021 16:51:12 GMT
Presumably you won't need to go to a testing centre, you will simply have to take a lateral flow test at home.
I got handed a packet of them by local authority volunteers outside the supermarket this morning! You can also order them for free from the government website.
No reason not to have those as a minimum requirement. The larger scale test events aren't feasible as an example of what all venues will be able to do, so they will have to rely on people taking them properly. But it's better than nothing.
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Post by Mark on May 3, 2021 16:57:06 GMT
Presumably you won't need to go to a testing centre, you will simply have to take a lateral flow test at home. I got handed a packet of them by local authority volunteers outside the supermarket this morning! You can also order them for free from the government website. No reason not to have those as a minimum requirement. The larger scale test events aren't feasible as an example of what all venues will be able to do, so they will have to rely on people taking them properly. But it's better than nothing. I already do them through work, but I'm surprised a photo of the actual test strip isn't needed. They are self confirmatory and thus it would be quite easy for people to report an incorrect result if they really wanted that night out.
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Post by HereForTheatre on May 3, 2021 17:42:43 GMT
I just saw that Raab said that some social distancing and mask wearing might need to stay even after the restrictions are lifted in June. Well to me then they haven't been lifted have they?
By then a huge percent of the population would have had at least 1 dose of the vaccine and it seems that you will have to prove you're vaccinated or you are currently negative for covid anyway to gain access so why on earth might we still need to wear masks then at the theatre ect as well?!
When would it end? That's the thing I'm wondering now.
I always thought I'd be fine with some mask rules still being in place but do you know what, now it would get my back up.
Also I don't understand that because I'm sure that some of the pilot events had no social distancing OR mask wearing and didn't report any outbreaks so??
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