Written by By Matthew Hay Brown, CNN
While some theatres and artists are placing “greater emphasis on security measures” following the London attack, British theatregoers and producers are remaining “very healthy” ahead of another major year of productions, including Mamma Mia! musical.
“Right now the West End is very healthy, we’ve got lots of big productions and lots of strong sellers, so it’s all looking very positive,” Lloyd Webber said at the opening of the London leg of his new musical, “School of Rock,” in June.
Terror attacks have affected some lines of business in recent years but Lloyd Webber said one of the benefits of being such a well-known name in the U.K. is that there’s a strong understanding that the venue is protecting itself.
“I don’t think there is too much changed in the theater industry, just a greater emphasis on security,” he said. “But really at the end of the day you have to take the view that everybody should go to a show, they should have a great time and enjoy the evening.”
Performances have been ongoing since August 9, and Lloyd Webber said that security measures have so far been effective. “Sometimes I feel like we’ve got to be a bit more careful, but of course we’re very secure, at the end of the day it’s getting in at the right time,” he said.
Lloyd Webber said that the banning of lap-dancing clubs from London’s West End was “more of a comment on society than it is a comment on me.”