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While large public gatherings remain off limits for the time being, Fleabag star Andrew Scott is set to give theatre-goers a special lockdown treat in a bid to ignite the box office.
Andrew will perform to viewers at home live from The Old Vic in
London in a production of the new play Three Kings.
The production will be live-streamed from the empty theatre as part of the In Camera series. The Old Vic has said the series is “crucial in igniting the
box office now all our usual channels of revenue have been entirely wiped out”.
Three Kings has been penned by Stephen Beresford, who describes it as being about “fathers and sons, the gifts and burdens of inheritance, and the unfathomable puzzle of human relationships”.
Andrew will take to the stage in five special performances, beginning next week, which will use the empty auditorium as a backdrop.
The Old Vic’s artistic director Matthew Warchus said: “I am hugely grateful to Stephen for writing this play specially for the Old Vic: In Camera series and to Andrew for agreeing to perform it.
“Their generous support of The Old Vic at this critical time and their spirit of adventure in joining us in this crucial fundraising experiment is enormously appreciated.”
The move comes after former The Crown stars Claire Foy and Matt Smith reunited to star in a socially-distanced production of Lungs as part of the series at The Old Vic.The theatre says its In Camera series is a “creative experiment and also crucial in igniting the box office now all our usual channels of revenue have been entirely wiped out and we fight to preserve this beloved theatre for our audiences, surrounding schools and communities, staff, crew, and the myriad of writers, performers and creatives that work with us.”
The government has announced that indoor performances with socially distanced live audiences will be allowed, subject to the success of pilots, from 1 August.
But Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust, has warned that the majority of theatres will not be able to reopen while social distancing is still in place because it is not financially viable.
The Old Vic also announced that Dermot O’Leary will host a live one-off Old Vic: In Conversation event with Andrew Scott.
Three Kings will be live streamed for five performances from 29 July to 1 August, with tickets priced from £10 to £40.READ MORE: Will The Show Go On? The Coronavirus-Ravaged Theatre Industry Is In Collapse, But Can It Be Saved? Fleabag's Hot Priest Is Here With A Reassuring Poem To Remind Us That 'It'll Pass' Normal People's Connell And Marianne Go To Confession With Fleabag's Hot Priest For Ultimate TV Crossover