The Arcola Theatre has admitted its future is in jeopardy after suspending shows due to the worsening coronavirus outbreak, labelling the pandemic a “critical threat” to its survival.
The Dalston theatre was among the first of a swathe of UK venues to close their doors this week as part of a nationwide “social distancing” effort to reduce the spread of the virus.
A number of plays including The Cutting Edge, Gentlemen and Pipeline were set to premiere at the 200-seat theatre this spring. All have been suspended until further notice.
In a statement, Mehmet Ergen, Arcola Theatre’s founder, said he did not believe it would be “practical or responsible” to stage shows “while people’s lives were at risk”.
Mr Ergen acknowledged that the closure would lead to serious funding issues, and asked for the public to support the theatre with donations.
“If we don’t make any changes, we’ll last a couple of weeks, if that”, Ben Todd, the theatre’s executive director told BBC Newsnight on Monday.
Mr Todd also called for government action to prop up the struggling arts industry, saying “we will need to have some money injected into the sector, and I’d like to know if that’s possible, and what’s it going to be”.
Customers who purchased tickets before Monday’s announcement have been told to contact the theatre.
Following Boris Johnson’s announcement that Londoners should avoid public gatherings, the Society of London Theatres and UK Theatres also announced that they would be closing until further notice.
