Cinderella won’t be going to the ball any time soon. BBC reported that that the highly-anticipated new Andrew Lloyd Webber musical was forced to cancel weekend performances after a cast member tested positive for COVID-19 and reschedule the show’s opening.
“It’s hard to see a route forward under the current rules, but we will do everything we can to come back,” a production spokesperson told BBC.
A statement from Andrew Lloyd Webber pic.twitter.com/bP8wgq2Nyt
— Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella (@ALWCinderella) July 19, 2021
Cautious optimism ripples throughout England as Boris Johnson’s “Freedom Day” saw locals flocking to restaurants and clubs despite an uptick in COVID cases. According to CNN, “As cases continue to rise rapidly in England, the number of people told by the app to self-isolate is ballooning. In the week to July 7, 520,000 people received the alert, sparking worries about the program’s impact on the economy.”
Other West End shows are forging ahead, with Prince of Egypt opening to full capacity beginning July 23, a new cast announced for the reopening of & Juliet on September 24, and a brighter future with a revival of Cabaret starring Eddie Redmayne scheduled to begin performances November 15 with Irish singer/actress Jessie Buckley in the role of Sally Bowles.
