Government updates performance guidance – outdoor amateur dramatics given the green light

The government's updated Covid guidance is good news for amateur dramatics fans.

From now, non-professional performing arts is permitted outdoors – as long as groups involved limit themselves to either two households or six people (as part of the rule of six)).

So, if you wanted to start rehearsing for an amateur dramatics production (say for example, an am-dram Waiting for Godot) or as part of an amateur choir, you'd be able to set yourselves up outdoors. Heck, even amateur socially distanced serenading is now permitted.

According to freshly updated guidance given this week: "Non-professional activities (such as amateur choirs and orchestras) are not permitted indoors. Outdoors, people can take part in non-professional performing arts activity, within the legal gathering limits: groups of up to six people, or as a group of two households. A group made up of two households can include more than six people, but only where all members of the group are from the same two households or an exemption applies (for example a support bubble). Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a bubble."

New guidance has also been issued for test and trace. From now on, every booking visitor (rather than just a lead booker) has to supply their name and contact details, with venues legally required to refuse entry to those who refuse to check in.

These records should be kept for 21 days and made available when requested by NHS Test and Trace or local public health officials. As a legal requirement, any failure to comply is punishable by fines.

Venues are also advised to send over details of assigned seating, if needed to help limit the spread of the virus.

Sign up for our daily newsletter for more