West End theatre closures have been extended to June 28 amid the coronavirus crisis.
Theatres around the country closed their doors after the Government advised against visiting leisure venues in a bid to halt the spread of Covid-19, and the Society of London Theatre (SOLT) has been cancelling performances across the West End on a rolling basis.
SOLT said this does not mean theatres will reopen on June 29 and further cancellations are still possible as different theatres and productions are likely to reopen at different times.
The news comes shortly after Jake Gyllenhaal announced that the West End transfer of Sunday In The Park With George, in which he stars with Annaleigh Ashford, has been postponed until next year.
He wrote on Instagram: “Though it may not come as a surprise to many, we have been forced to postpone Sunday In The Park With George at the Savoy this summer.
“London is like a second home to me and I was so excited to be spending the season in that beautiful city finally bringing our production to the West End.
“But, in accordance with science, we’re going to have to wait. We will find another Sunday to bring our Sunday to you before too long.
“Thank you to everyone who already bought tickets (all that will be handled, not to worry) and I hope to see you all in the theatre when this moment has passed.
“Until then, please stay safe and don’t worry: the beard will be back. Bigger and burlier than Broadway.”
Ticketholders for all shows will be contacted by the organisation from which they bought their tickets to arrange a refund, credit note or exchange for a later date.
West End theatre closures have now been extended to Sunday 28 June. This doesn't mean theatres will reopen on 29 June; if further cancellations are necessary they'll continue to be announced on a rolling basis. Read full statement & our FAQs: https://t.co/i9wbQnUNNj pic.twitter.com/d3kMmDeK1Q
— Official London Theatre (@london_theatre) May 5, 2020
A statement from SOLT said: “We are grateful to customers for the patience they are showing during this challenging time for our industry.
“With 300,000 people visiting West End theatres in a normal week, it’s a major undertaking to process refunds, exchanges and credit notes, particularly when many staff are working remotely.
“Please rest assured that we are all working as quickly as we can and we appreciate the ongoing support of our audiences.”