Welcome to the September edition of Ensemble. I hope you’re all staying safe and keeping well.

Substantial work is currently underway at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) on getting to Stage 5 of the government road map – the aim of this work is for a positive recommendation into central government to educate the decision making processes regarding social distancing for November.

Four working groups have also been established around venue infrastructure, audiences, touring, and those working in venues, across all types of venue. Over the weekend there was some press activity by DCMS around this work – the key is to develop a practical action plan to get theatres open with full(er) audiences.

Two articles published in The Sunday Times and The Mail on Sunday suggest that plans to allow theatres to reopen without social distancing are being accelerated by government, with potential for shows to restart without restrictions on November 1. Dubbed “Operation Sleeping Beauty”, the initiative has been made possible thanks to rapid Coronavirus testing in which results can be made available within minutes.

Just this week, Boris Johnson confirmed those reports by committing to developing a programme of rapid mass testing, which he said could allow theatre audiences to return without social distancing this year. The scheme will be piloted at indoor and outdoor venues in Salford next month.

In other related news, almost 32,000 people are backing calls for an equivalent to the Eat Out to Help Out scheme to be set up for theatre. Proposals asking the government for a discount scheme for cultural venues are gathering pace, after a leading think tank suggested a version of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme could encourage audiences back into theatres.

All this remains to be seen, of course, but we remain optimistic and continue to plan accordingly with the hope that we can produce something in time for Christmas.

Meanwhile, cinemas continue to show slow signs of recovery and it’s encouraging to see new work from Trafalgar Releasing gathering momentum with the new BTS film ready to be unleashed on the world, along with the recently announced new work from Nick Cave, Alone at Alexandra Palace. Trafalgar Releasing’s recent Elvis release was also a box office number one.

There’s good news from Stagecoach too, with over 80% of schools around the world going back to business operations and students returning to classes, for some much-needed normality for all.

Until next month, keep talking, stay connected and take care of yourselves.
Sending you all my very best wishes
Rosemary