Coliseum is on track to survive the pandemic - but Government roadmap hasn't helped

Theatres across the UK have been shut since March thanks to the coronavirus crisis, but didn't have any guidance about reopening until last week when the culture secretary announced a new 'roadmap' to get them back up and running.

Many in the industry have slammed Oliver Dowden's five-step plan to get perfoming arts back up and running.

The Chronicle spoke to the Oldham Coliseum's Artistic Director, Chris Lawson, about the announcement.

"It was disappointment in the lack of specifics in the announcement itself," he said.

"To try and take some positives from it, something was being announced, and I guess that's a step in the right direction.

"But for us there were no time frames attached to any of the steps in the roadmap and without that, it makes it pretty close to being impossible to plan. 

"Then I guess the roadmap is pretty similar to what many people in theatre were drawing out themselves a couple of months ago.

"I think the first issue is around the lack of timeframes and of course we only want to open when it is safe to do so but we need some sort of guidance.

"And then because there's no time frames I think the other point people are taking issue with is the lack of funding and financial support when we do have to remain closed because we can't put performances on. 

"Some places and organisation may have other aspects that operate independently like cinemas or restaurants within their buildings but not everyone does so in terms of putting things on the stage and putting shows on, we don't feel any closer than we did before the announcement."

Other theatres in Manchester are already struggling, with the Royal Exchange announcing that they'll have to make up to 65% of their staff redundant in order to have a chance at surviving. 

Oldham Coliseum are currently coping financially, though.

Mr Lawson added: "We're doing okay. I think a lot of places are in very different situations and sometimes the theatre industry is spoken about collectively as one but each venue has very difference circumstances, different buildings, different audience bases and as things stand, we're okay.

"But as time goes on it does become more nerve wracking for us because we have nothing to go against and financially, every week we're looking at the figures and reworking our plans out so at some point for everyone, they will face their time of difficulty and it's a matter of when. 

"As things stand for us at the Coliseum, we're fairly confident still at the moment but we keep reviewing it every week."

At the moment, the panto there is still on sale.

Mr Lawson added that it's a huge factor for everyone at the legendary Oldham theatre.

"It's so important for us and Oldham. It's a huge part of what we do at the Coliseum," he added.

"People often think of pantomime as Christmas, but the work for pantomime started a couple of months ago for us so we're now going towards the deadlines to be able to make pantomime and without the roadmap having the time frames it starts to make us go well what do we do if we can't do pantomime. 

"Whether that's smaller shows, more online and digital work, whether that's working with the community instead in different ways. 

"There are different plans that are bigger and smaller scale but ultimately our ambition is to put our panto on the stage."

Mr Lawson added: "All industries are important in what they contribute, but it is a huge industry and certainly for the towns like Oldham and cities like Manchester, places like the Coliseum are a real part of the fabric of the area as well.

"All we can do is hope.

"What is happening though is the industry bodies are fighting the good fight and lots of people are speaking out.

"It's easy to not realise how much you engage with the performing arts until it's at risk of not being there.

"The first thing a lot of people might have done in lockdown is turn on the tv and these actors that you see on there and the people working on those often come through theatre and it all kind of crosses over."

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