The worsening COVID situation in the eastern states has led to more cancellations and postponements this week, as cases in NSW reach a new record, Victoria is forced into its sixth lockdown, and south-east Queensland extends its lockdown until Sunday 8 August.
Lucky Lartey. Courtesy Sydney Fringe Festival.
Melbourne Theatre Company’s production of Virginia’s Gay Cyrano was to have had its opening night last night but has had to cancel all performances until 12 August. It had managed to put on some previews last week – restricted to a maximum audience of 100 people – which had led to huge buzz and word of mouth acclaim.
Another massive blow is the cancellation of the Sydney Fringe Festival. NSW’s largest independent arts festival was to take place throughout September, and involve 1500 artists across 370 shows at 40 different venues. It is the second consecutive cancellation after the 2020 edition was also abandoned.
Sydney Fringe Festival Director and CEO Kerri Glasscock said, “We are absolutely devastated to be cancelling a second festival. The Sydney Fringe Festival is not only the largest independent arts festival in NSW but...
Opera is being performed in the UK with audiences because over 70% of the population has been fully vaccinated, but here we have depended on poor decisions of a government that has suddenly realized that we are in a crisis, I fear we will lose a generation of performers and musicians because of the sheer incompetence of the governing class, both politicians and public servants, its a disgrace and I’m angry!