Shakespeare's Globe Faces Permanent Closure in London Without Emergency Funding

The coronavirus pandemic has already caused the shutdown of theaters in the West End and on Broadway. This has affected productions of Frozen, Hangmen and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, which will not return when restrictions are lifted. Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London may suffer the same fate if U.K. legislators do not act, according to a report in Variety.

Located on the south bank of the Thames, the revered theater shut its doors on March 18 due to the coronavirus crisis. In a recent submission to a U.K. parliamentary committee, the historic institution warned that if it is unable to reopen its doors before September, it will require £5M ($6M) in government funding. A replica of William Shakespeare’s original 1599 Elizabethan open-air venue, the Globe has not faced such financial hardship in its 23 years of operation.

"In an unprecedented time for theater, as a charity that receives no regular government subsidy, we need your help more than ever before," reads a statement on their website. Those interested in donating to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre can do so here.