The Show Must Go On as West End Musicals Reveal Reopening Plans

Eight months after the curtain came down on the West End, several shows have given musical theatre lovers a glimmer of hope as they reveal their plans for a socially-distanced reopening.

An article shared by BBC News stated that three non-musical shows, The Play That Goes Wrong, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap and Adam Kay’s This Is Going To Hurt, will admit socially distanced audiences in October, followed three weeks later by musicals Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Six.

Keeping theatres Covid-secure

The entertainment industry faces similar issues as pubs and restaurants when it comes to reopening in a Covid-secure manner, however on a much bigger scale.

One issue with live performances, and probably the biggest reason it’s taken so long for them to resume, is that Covid-19 can be passed through droplets in the air, known as aerosols. Singing and projecting creates loud noise, which leads to an increase in the transmission of aerosols.

The government have outlined measures to support the safe return of audiences to live theatre shows, which include (BBC News):

  • Reduced venue capacity and limited ticket sales
  • Encouraging the use of e-tickets to reduce contact and help with track and trace
  • Social distancing markings in place in areas where queues form
  • Increased deep cleaning of auditoriums
  • Allowing sufficient time for a deep clean between performances
  • Performers, conductors, and musicians to observe social distancing where possible
  • Temperature checks for audiences and performers

Theatres must follow these precautions, to ensure that staff, performers, and visitors are kept safe, whilst also being able to enjoy their live theatre experience.

Introducing the ‘Way-Back’ Pack, helping to raise the curtain in the theatre industry

Venues are able to control the volume of their music and microphones, but it can be difficult to control the volume of your audiences. As noise measurement specialists, we’re in a great position to help theatres operate safely moving forward.

We’ve introduced the ‘Way-Back’ Pack, which will help theatres reopen and make their way back to the stage safely and securely. The pack includes:

  • A simple sound level meter: keep an eye on the noise levels with this incredibly simple-to-use sound level meter and reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission
  • A noise-activated warning sign: get an immediate visual alert as to when the noise levels are too high, allowing you to take action to reduce risk of transmission
  • A handheld infrared thermometer: test the temperature of your employees and customers quickly and easily
  • An automated door access temperature detection system: automatically grant or deny entry to people depending on their temperature and add an additional layer of security to your venue

This unique offering is available to purchase or hire as a complete package or, you can customise it to your specific needs, adding more of what you need and removing the things you don’t.

In the words of Freddie Mercury, The Show Must Go On, and here at Cirrus Research, we’re determined to help make that happen.

Find out more about the ‘Way-Back’ Pack.