Phantom of the Opera, London’s second-longest-running musical, has been forced to close permanently on the West End, the show’s producer has announced.
The show, which has been running at Her Majesty’s Theatre since 1986, will no longer operate in the West End, due to the financial impacts of the ongoing coronavirus restrictions on theatres, producer Cameron Mackintosh has said.
He had previously announced that all his shows in London would return no earlier than 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit theatres.
Touring productions of the show, which was written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, will also no longer operate.
Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a mysterious and disfigured mask-wearing musician living underneath the Paris Opera House who becomes obsessed with a woman called Christine.
Mackintosh, one of the country’s biggest theatre producers with hits such as Hamilton and Les Misérables to his name, revealed he wanted the show to come back in the future, but for now, it will stay off stages.
Lloyd Webber recently put on a socially distanced performance by Beverley Knight in the London Palladium, overseen by Public Health England. Guests were seated apart, while whole rows were left empty and patrons were asked to wear face coverings.
Lloyd Webber took to the stage at one point to admit that social distancing in indoor venues was unlikely to work, calling it a “sad sight”.
Phantom of the Opera to close ‘permanently’ in the West End
