It won’t mean that the show goes on.

“Britain’s performers are in a pause that even Samuel Beckett might think a tad lengthy. Spotlights went off on March 16th and few believe they will be on again soon. The country’s theatres are the liveliest in the world, with more than 5,000 productions a year that generate £1.3bn ($1.64bn) or so in box-office revenue alone. But, as ticket sales dried up, about two-thirds of theatres risked going bust by Christmas. 

… Ironically, the most commercially successful places are hardest hit, because they rely wholly on box-office revenue. Northern Stage, for instance, has continued to receive its regular grant from Arts Council England (ace), which makes up two-fifths of its income. The Theatre Royal, a charity that stages crowd-pleasing musicals and blockbuster plays, has lost everything.

So the government’s rescue package for the arts, announced on July 5th, drew much applause. Details remain sketchy, but its support for English venues will total £1.15bn. “

Features interviews with:

• Kate Denby, executive director of Northern Stage

• Philip Bernays, chief executive of Theatre Royal

• Annabel Turpin of arc, a venue in Stockton-on-Tees

• Craig Hassall, the chief executive of Royal Albert Hall

Source: The Economist