National Opens Doors on Sundays??? Date: 7 December 2005
The National Theatre may open its doors on Sundays from next year. According to The Stage newspaper, the UK’s flagship theatrical institution has begun a consultation process with its internal departments and workers’ union Bectu in preparation for Sunday performances. It would be a major move for London theatre. Although some West End productions, including Disney musical The Lion King, Stomp and, currently, the Kristin Scott Thomas-led revival of Pirandello’s As You Desire Me do schedule Sunday matinees – and despite extensive union negotiations to make it possible for others to do more easily (See The Goss, 23 Dec 2004) - most commercial producers have, to date, shied away from following their lead because of the prohibitive costs of paying staff for double time on what has traditionally been their one guaranteed day off. At the subsidised National, a spokesperson told Whatsonstage.com today that Sunday opening is indeed one of the theatre’s aspirations for the future and that the hope is this will commence sometime in 2006 although “we can’t say when or definitely at this stage … we need the happy cooperation of many people which is something we are still working on”. If and when the NT implements the plan, it may well be the impetus for a change of practice in the rest of the West End.
Whatsonstage.com - Discount London theatre tickets, theatre news and reviews, Theatre videos, Theatre discussion, National Theatre Listings. Covering London's West End, all of Theatreland and all UK theatre. The best
for London Theatre Ticket Discounts.
