Talking to pagesix.com, Andrew Lloyd Webber said he is not optimistic about opening theatres soon.
“The industry says theaters reopen June 7. My opinion? Optimistic. Ridiculous. I think this peaks in June, and theaters remain closed until end of September.
“We need these places, many are old, safe as possible. In South Korea, they take everyone’s temperature. We’ll self-clean handles, wipe doors, utilize every safety measure. People won’t wish to crowd into small clustered seats again. But we must reopen. Some, with leftover money to spend, need the theater.
“Three people in my company had the virus. My two sons tested positive. I haven’t seen them for 2 ¹/? weeks. I, myself, put a bag over my head with steaming water filled with medication that clears the airwaves and clears your nasal passages. I self-medicated.
“My London theaters are run not-for-profit, and I’m in the middle of redoing the Drury Lane. An old building, and you can’t stop in the middle. So we must keep an essential crew, like electricians, working. Paying
everyone. Unions came to some arrangement. It’s a nightmare.”