Judi Dench says it's 'a desperate feeling' that theatres may not reopen in her lifetime
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage
Judi Dench has warned that theatres may not reopen in her lifetime.
Speaking to Channel 4 last night Dench said: "I can't see how it's going to recover…And when will they ever open again? I don't know, certainly, I'm sure, not in my lifetime."
The legendary actress continued: "It's not as if we don't bring a great deal of money to the economy because I think, last year alone, we brought in 1.3 billion into the economy. So, it is necessary.
"I'm not saying that it should be more prioritised than anything else, but it just is going to be a very serious. It's a very serious effect on all of us.
"If the theatres now close and become dark. I don't know when we're going to get them back."
While making allusions to some sort of possible support, nothing concrete has thusfar been given by the government specifically to help the arts sector. Huge numbers of jobs have already been lost while venues try to keep themselves afloat, with a return date unconfirmed.
