Boris Johnson Wants to 'Make It Work' for Andrew Lloyd Webber's CINDERELLA Despite Re-Opening Delays

As BroadwayWorld previously reported, news today of a delay in the UK's full re-opening is a devastating blow to West End theatres, which now cannot open at full capacity until July 19. Andrew Lloyd's Webber's new Cinderella, which was due to begin performances on June 25, is one of the shows that will likely suffer from the decision, though Boris Johnson admitted that he is currently in talks with Webber about the issue.

"I have colossal admiration for Andrew Lloyd Webber and the entire theatre sector is one of the glories of this country and it's broken everybody's heart to see what we've had to go through," Johnson said. "On Cinderella and Lord Lloyd Webber's latest production I think we're in talks with him to try and make it work and will do whatever we can to be helpful. There are some pilot events we hope will be able to go ahead even in the next four weeks."

Just last week Webber threatened to sue the UK government if theatres were not allowed to open without social distancing. "I've seen the science from the tests, don't ask me how," he said. "They all prove that theatres are completely safe, the virus is not carried there. If the Government ignore their own science, we have the mother of all legal cases against them. If Cinderella couldn't open, we'd go, 'Look, either we go to law about it or you'll have to compensate us'."