Plymouth Theatre Royal is begging culture vultures to bail it out as the coronavirus lockdown threatens to make a crisis out of a lack of drama.
The venue, which can seat 1,300 in its main The Lyric auditorium, has launched an emergency appeal after being forced to close during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Along with other theatres around the country is has no income without shows but is still trying to continue its community work and support its 350 staff, many of whom are understood to be on furlough.
Theatre bosses said they need cash to carry on but admit they have no idea how much they will need because there is no firm announcement on when social distancing rules will be relaxed even if the lockdown is ended soon.
The theatre has now launched an appeal online and sent emails to customers on its mailing list asking them to put their hands in their pockets. It said any donation is welcome but suggested generous drama lovers donate the price of a ticket.
The theatre’s appeal read: “The coronavirus pandemic means that we have closed our doors to the public for the first time in our 37 years.
We need your help now to keep the theatre going through this tough time when our stages are dark and our workshops empty.
“Your donation will help to ensure our financial stability and help us to continue to support the local communities we serve.
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“A donation, of any size, will be gratefully received and make an enormous difference.”
The theatre said that since its closure on March 18 it had been supporting staff and freelance artists and ”practitioners”.
With shows cancelled, the theatre lost ticket income and sales from its restaurants and bars. It has offered refunds or credit notes to patrons who had bought tickets for shows that can not now go ahead.
Shows have been officially cancelled until the first week of May, but there is little chance of theatre productions resuming for the foreseeable future while social distancing remains in place.
Community work is still continuing even though the doors are closed, with support for the homeless and those recovering from drug addiction.
A spokesperson for the theatre said: “Many of our community projects are still continuing during the lockdown, in particular our work with vulnerable people in the city who are recovering from addiction or homelessness which is now more important than ever.
“With no shows on, our already stretched income has all-but-disappeared but this work makes a huge difference to people’s lives which is why we’re asking for support.”
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The appeal said: “Without shows and audiences, we have no income to help us bring theatre back to Plymouth. We understand that this is a difficult time for everyone, but if you can please make a donation to TRP today, we’ll be here for you once this is over.”
Plymouth Theatre Royal was opened in 1982 and is one of the most prominent and successful theatres outside London.
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In addition to the Lyric, which hosts blockbuster musicals, pantomime, opera and ballet; it has a 200-seat drama venue called The Drum, and a 50-seat studio called The Lab, for smaller and one-person performances.
The large statue Messenger was placed just in front of the main entrance on Royal Parade in 2019.
On a separate site, Theatre Royal Plymouth also has a production and education centre, TR2, featuring rehearsal studios and workshops for the production of set and costumes.
Employing about 70 people, it is a key asset and another important income generator for