Andrew Lloyd Webber has rejected prime minister Boris Johnson's offer to include the English composer's latest musical 'Cinderella' to a pilot-scheme for full-capacity live events.
The impresario of musical theatre made a comment on Friday saying that the theatre industry had been treated as "an afterthought and undervalued."
A statement from Andrew Lloyd Webber. pic.twitter.com/UaWVm1C2wj
— Andrew Lloyd Webber (@OfficialALW) June 18, 2021
He had insisted last week on opening his show to a full house on the 25th of June despite the risk of being arrested, but later backed down on that due to the fact that it "would be very likely that every member of my cast, crew and orchestra, the front and backstage staff, plus our loyal audience members, could be individually fined £500, which I couldn't possibly risk."
"If it were just me, I would happily risk arrest and fines to make a stand and lead the live music and theatre industry back to the full capacities we so desperately need," said Webber.
He later stated that his show would open in the next week with a 50% capacity, as per the legal limit.
The show would go on at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London with a socially-distanced audience.
The British government recently confirmed that the country's opening, originally planned for the 21st of June, would be postponed till the 19th of July due to concerns over the Delta variant.
The composer said he turned down the initial offer because others were not given the same offer:
"I have made it crystal clear that I would only be able to participate if others were involved and the rest of the industry - theatre and music - were treated equally," he said. "This has not been confirmed to me."
The government responded to his turning down their offer, with a spokesperson stating that: "We are disappointed that Lord Lloyd Webber has decided not to take part in the Events Research Programme, having engaged with his team on exactly the same basis as a wide range of other cultural and sporting events."