Six & More West End Productions Announce Plans to Reopen

Some very exciting news has arrived from across the pond! The hit musical Six is slated to become the first West End musical to reopen since theaters shut down as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Six has company: Nimax Theatres plans to reopen all six of its West End venues, including the Apollo, Duchess, Garrick, Lyric, Palace and Vaudeville Theatres, beginning this fall.

“On the six-month anniversary of the last performance in the West End I am delighted to announce that we will be switching on all our lights and re-opening with a special season of fantastic entertainment," Nimax Chief Executive Nica Burns said in a statement.

First up will Adam Kay's This Is Going to Hurt, which focuses on his time as a doctor in Britain’s National Health Service (NHS). It will play the Apollo Theatre, home to the musical Everbody's Talking About Jamie, beginning on October 23 through November 8. There will be a free show for NHS staff members on October 22. Those interested can apply for tickets on a lottery system here. 

Six will play nine shows each week and temporarily move from its home at the Arts Theatre to the Lyric Theatre for a limited run from November 14 through January 31, 2021. To maintain social distancing guidelines, the theater will have reduced capacity. All audience members must wear masks.

The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre and Magic Goes Wrong at the Vaudeville Theatre are also slated to return this November and December, respectively. Nimax is also working to bring back Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre early next year. Details regarding those reopenings will be announced later.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child producer Sonia Friedman noted, "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will definitely return to the West End once social distancing has ended, the Palace Theatre can safely and viably play to full capacity eight times per week, and we have a government backed insurance scheme. Whist we are desperate to be back as soon as possible, given the sheer scale, expense and complexity of our magical show we will need many months’ notice to reignite our huge production, build a box office advance and give everyone enough time to plan.”

As previously announced, the Garrick Theatre will be home to The Drifters Girl musical in 2021.