Nimax Theatres will raise the curtain in its six West End theatres in sequence from 22 October for a special season of socially distanced entertainment ahead of the return of resident long-running shows including Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Announcing the reopening plans, Nimax chief executive Nica Burns said: “On the six-month anniversary of the last performance in the West End I am delighted to announce that we will be switching on all our lights and reopening with a special season of fantastic entertainment.
“Our programme of special shows will reopen each of our six theatres prior to the return of our brilliant long-running shows. Details of this special season of shows will be announced over the next fortnight.
“For our special season, our theatres will open with social distancing plus robust risk mitigation to comply with current government Covid-19 secure guidelines. Although with reduced capacities it is not possible to make a profit, we will be earning a contribution to our costs.
“With the furlough support scheme ending on 31 October, this income will help us retain Nimax’s highly skilled, experienced workforce and give work to some of the talented tapestry of freelancers onstage and backstage. We will also be able to support some of the many teams and businesses which together give our audiences a night to remember. Our theatre community cannot wait to get back to work safely. As culture secretary Oliver Dowden wrote this week, ‘…theatre is a lynchpin of London’s West End and its absence is painfully reflected in its deserted streets’.
“Even with reduced capacities at our theatres, we can entertain over 20,000 customers a week who we hope will re-energise the beating heart of our city, particularly the cafes, bars and restaurants that are an essential part of the fabric of the West End. Ticket sales for those venues that have managed to open so far, both outdoor and indoor, have been strong and we cannot wait to welcome audiences back safely.”
The special season will provide the gateway to the reopening of the company’s hit shows: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre, Magic Goes Wrong at the Vaudeville Theatre and The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre.
Confirming the plan for the company’s biggest show, Burns said: “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will definitely return to the West End once social distancing has ended, the Palace Theatre can safely and viably play to full capacity eight times per week, and we have a government backed insurance scheme. Whist we are desperate to be back as soon as possible, given the sheer scale, expense and complexity of our magical show we will need many months’ notice to reignite our huge production, build a box office advance and give everyone enough time to plan.”
The reopening season will begin with ex-NHS doctor turned writer and comedian Adam Kay’s This Is Going To Hurt. Running from 22 October until 8 November at the Apollo Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue, the first performance will be a free show for NHS staff only with NHS staff invited to enter the ballot for tickets by registering at www.nimaxtheatres.com.
Commenting on the return of live entertainment to the West End stage, Kay said: “It’s extremely heartening that Theatreland is starting to gear up again. The people you see on stage are the very tip of the theatre iceberg – behind the scenes are hundreds of hard-working staff – from electricians to stage managers to lighting techs to box office to carpenters – huge numbers of whom fell between the gaps of government support.
“I’m very proud to return to the West End, following the extraordinary efforts of Nimax to do so in a way that’s safe for staff and theatregoers alike, and doubly proud to open the run with a free show for NHS staff, who can clearly do with a night out more than anyone.”
Details of the other shows in the season will be announced over the next few weeks.
Angela Thomas
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