West End play starring Gemma Arterton resumes after Covid cancellation
A West End play starring Gemma Arterton will resume after a member of the production was potentially exposed to Covid.
Tuesday night’s performance of Walden was cancelled at the last minute after a backstage member of the company was alerted they could have been exposed while outside of the theatre earlier in the day.
A possible COVID risk has been identified in relation to a member of the backstage company. Therefore, regrettably, we need to cancel this evening's performance of Walden. We hope to be able to continue with performances tomorrow.
— Sonia Friedman Productions (@SFP_London) May 25, 2021
Sonia Friedman Productions, which runs the shows, said cancelling was “a precautionary measure until all test results were confirmed as negative”.
It has now been confirmed the show will go ahead on Wednesday after everyone tested negative for the virus.
A statement said: “Since rehearsals began for Walden all protocols and guidelines have been strictly followed in the rehearsal room and at the theatre, with the health and well-being of the company and team working across the production being the upmost priority.
“Throughout this period they have all been tested regularly, and all remain negative for Covid.
“Last night, information was received at 6.45pm that a member of the production had potentially been exposed to the virus whilst not at the theatre, and on the advice of the production’s Covid consultants the performance was cancelled.
We want to thank audiences at Walden for their understanding tonight. We were informed this evening that a backstage member had been alerted that they had possibly been exposed to Covid while outside of our theatre building earlier in the day. (1/2)
— Sonia Friedman Productions (@SFP_London) May 25, 2021
“In the intervening time, following further testing, advice, and confirmation that there was no exposure to the virus by the team member, all remain negative, safe and well, and we look forward to welcoming audiences back as performances resume as normal this evening.
“We’d like to thank last night’s audience for their patience and support – they will be contacted by their point of sale.”
Walden is the debut play by Amy Berryman and is directed by Ian Rickson, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed Jerusalem.
Arterton stars opposite Fehinti Balogun and Lydia Wilson in the show, about a Nasa botanist who returns from a year-long Moon mission and finds herself in a remote cabin in the woods, where her estranged twin sister, Stella, a former Nasa architect, has found a new life with climate activist Bryan.
