Theatres must be "creative" to survive pandemic says Clacton's MP

Clacton's MP, Giles Watling says the situation for theatres during the Covid-19 pandemic is desperate and they'll need to be "creative" to survive.

Many theatres and live venues have struggled during the pandemic with social distancing making it practically impossible to host performances.

"We must not forget not only is it of great financial value to the UK, it is one of our greatest offers to the world globally"

Giles said "Rome is burning. Theatres are closing. There are theatres making redundancies, I know the Theatre Royal Norwich for instance and major theatres like the Theatre Royal Plymouth are actually teetering on the edge right now."

In response to the government's promise of £1.5 billion for the arts the MP, and ex-actor said "We want to get some of that money out to the freelancers, who have fallen through the furlough scheme. The actors, the prop builders, the set designers, the costumiers."