Pingderella: Lloyd-Webber’s Cinderella adaptation off again after isolation app wreaks havoc
Andrew Lloyd-Webber has been forced to cancel the staging of his Cinderella adaptation tonight, with self-isolation ‘pings’ from the NHS app “turning freedom day into closure day.”
Lloyd-Webber’s backstage cast has been decimated by what the West End fixture describes as “the blunt instrument” of the Government’s isolation guidance.
The cancellation means theatre has been added to hospitality venues and supermarkets as victims of rampant staff shortages, with a growing number of Brits being told to self-isolate after being registered as a “close contact” of an individual with a positive Covid case.
Read more: ‘Arrest us’: Lloyd-Webber vows to reopen theatres on 21 June regardless of restrictions rules
Lloyd-Webber said that a “rigorous testing system” has been in place for cast and crew, which identified one positive case in a member of the cast.
“As a precautionary measure, we cancelled tw shows on Saturday while we carried out further tests on everyone backstage, which were negative,” he wrote on twitter.
“Any of those who were identified as a close contact of the positive case were given additional PCR tests. These tests too were negative. This morning we carried out additional tests on those due to perform tonight. Every one of them was negative,” he wrote.
On the cancellation, he said “we have been forced into a devastating decision which will affects the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of people.”
Lloyd-Webber’s frustration mirrors growing complaints that the NHS app’s ‘sensitivity’ is resulting in chaos for businesses of all shapes and sizes.
Greene King have been forced to close pubs and Iceland shut the doors to some of its supermarkets today.
Despite the complaints, there are no plans to adjust the sensitivity of the app.
However in mid-August, those who have received two jabs will be able to ‘test’ their way out of self-isolation.
Read more: Pingdemic: UK supermarkets brace themselves for chaotic Freedom Day