Sir Van rages against ‘shambolic’ NI Executive.... again

Last week the musician cancelled a number of gigs planned for the Ulster Hall after Stormont ministers delayed a decision on concert reopening, stating that they wanted more information about risks.

But on Monday, ministers agreed that theatres and concert venues can reopen from 6pm on Tuesday.

The singer-songwriter said his cancelled concerts could have gone ahead, but blamed the Executive for not giving enough notice.

He added: “Once again the Northern Ireland Executive has been shambolic in their approach to lifting concert restrictions.

“The announcement has come so late in the day that it’s a kick in the teeth.

“Cancelled concerts that were planned for this week, could have gone ahead.

“Regrettably like many other sectors, there’s been no advance warning, no plan or road map for the industry.

“Stormont have lost the confidence in the public and are clearly deaf to our industry when making decisions.”

Sir Van has been an outspoken critic of Covid restrictions.

Last month, he cancelled a series of gigs at the Europa Hotel in Belfast at the last minute, because they were in breach of regulations.

Instead, he took to the stage in the Europa where he was joined by DUP MP Ian Paisley in chanting that Northern Ireland’s Health Minister Robin Swann “is very dangerous”.

On Monday, the Executive announced that audiences will be permitted to return to performances.

Live music will be permitted for rehearsals and performances, with no restriction to background or ambient levels of volume.

Entry to performances for audiences will be by ticket only.

Audiences for indoor events must have allocated seating and remain seated and are not permitted to dance.

Social distancing of one metre is required.

Leading Northern Ireland actor and playwright Dan Gordon has welcomed the reopening of theatres, but said it had been a “long time coming”.

He said: “It’s a very good day but it’s been a long time coming. We seem to have been at the bottom of the pile.

“We’ve had the Euros, the golf, the motor-racing. All these other things, even cinemas opening and still the theatres weren’t opening, so it was very, very difficult to take.

“We are all very well behaved so nobody made a big fuss, we know there’s a pandemic, but it has been bewildering to see all that has been going on around us while the theatres have stayed closed.”

Gordon said the long period of closure had left a deep impact on the live theatre industry.

“We have been losing young people out of the game, because they have to go and find work elsewhere,” he said.

“In our business, some have gone under, but there has been a lot of online stuff being produced, but it is still not theatre.

“There has been a lot of moves to do stuff outside, but getting the theatres open again is the big thing.”

Keiran Griffiths, director and producer at the Playhouse Theatre in Londonderry, said staff can’t wait to reopen the doors.

He said: “This is the news we’ve been so eagerly waiting for since we closed our doors to audiences in March 2020.

“When the doors closed, we were left asking how do you connect people through art without people? People are at the heart of what we do, we are here to create community, celebrate diversity and empower people through the arts.

“So we had to adapt. While closed to the public, we continued our education and peacebuilding work, and new broadcasting infrastructure helped us keep creating and producing our theatre work.

“Because of digital we’ve been able to reach more people and tell more stories than even before, but people still need a physical space to come together, tell stories, create, and experience art together. We can’t wait to provide that again.”

Jimmy Fay, executive producer of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast, said: “We are delighted that the NI Executive made the decision to reopen theatres to live audiences, for the first time since last March. We were the last industry to open to the public, and we are confident that we will do this in a safe and enjoyable way when we open our doors on Tuesday evening to our first live audiences.

“However it should be said that we as a theatre have never stopped working, we have never stopped creating. Throughout the last 16 months we have gone online, on radio and on TV, with partnerships with the BBC and others, reaching a huge international audience.

“But a theatre needs its audience to share in that special experience of live theatre together and we are thrilled to welcome them back this week for our production of Dracula.”

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey said she expected all venues to have measures in place to ensure they are Covid-safe environments.

She added: “The huge part that the arts play in our lives has come into sharp focus through the closure of theatres, concert halls and other venues during the pandemic with the necessary cancellation of so many performances.

“When these venues suffer so does our economy as they employ thousands of staff directly and indirectly, they help boost tourism and also work to support our hospitality sector.”