Boris Johnson: Public theatres should no longer be visited

Boris Johnson: Public theatres should no longer be visited

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norman lebrecht

March 16, 2020

It’s shutdown time across the UK.

Now.

The prime minister has just made the case in his daily briefing.

 

Comments

  • Simon Scott says:

    More bloody scaremongering.
    Now BoJo has jumped on the bandwagon

    • Cubs Fan says:

      And now all those 70+ in age should become hermits for three months! Should make the tube less crowded…

    • Alessandra Petrina says:

      Simon, I do not know if you mean this and your other comments on the topic as a joke, but it is beyond belief. Thousands of people in the world have died, hundreds of thousands are ill. Every single immunologist and virologist is saying that the only thing we can do is isolate and create social distance, as much as possible. Johnson is way too late, but every other government in countries that have been hit, from China to Germany to Italy to South Korea, is enforcing the same measures. This is also what WHO is saying. Yet you have decided this is bs? on whose authority?

    • IntBaritone says:

      Hey Simon, go lick a few door handles, tube poles, and friends iphones and get back to us in 14 days.

      Since you’re obviously not smart enough to look out others (this really isn’t about you), the government will have to encourage you to do so.

    • Gideon says:

      Such an idiotic comment. People are dying everywhere- non theatre goers audience members and those creating the art- all major opera houses the world over are closed to protect the public and workers within the companies. ROH is simply making the right choice.

    • psq says:

      A troll!?

  • Donald says:

    I’d put money on some theatres staying open. Boris deliberately vague.

    • The View from America says:

      Get ready to lose your money.

    • M McAlpine says:

      Vague? He and the health officials spelt it out as clearly as they could I would have thought without introducing a police state. Don’t go anywhere unless it’s necessary.

  • Bassblue says:

    By staying open,the Royal Opera House is encouraging people to congregate against government advice and their well being.
    Close now.

  • American expat in London says:

    Theatres have not been shut down. The government is “urging people not to go.” A big difference which I assume means that if I decide not to go, I won’t get my money back.

    • Saxon Broken says:

      Yes, that is right. And it is why the theatres are furious, since they can’t claim on their insurance for cancelled shows, but obviously won’t be selling very many tickets.

  • V.Lind says:

    No sign as yet (7:30 p.m. UK time) of ENO, LSO or RPO having noticed that there is a crisis, and a directive.

    IS Simon Scott running the arts in Britain?

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