Theatre News: Scotland to Bring Back Outdoor Performances from the 24th August

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon, announced last week that outdoor theatre and comedy performances can resume on the 24th August, in the latest easing of lockdown restrictions.

Sturgeon is allowing these events to take place with enhanced hygiene protocols to lessen the risk of coronavirus transmission.

With this announcement comes the new possibility of staging a few events before the conclusion of Edinburgh’s festival season. This season runs until the 31st August, so there could be a dedicated week of live outdoor performances for arts enthusiasts to enjoy if events can be scheduled quickly enough.

Giving the go ahead to these performances paves the way for green spaces to be used as events venues. As a result, organisers are now free to stage these outdoor theatre productions and comedy shows in parks, gardens and numerous other spaces. Outdoor theatre has already been given the green light in England.

Of course, this allowance is in accordance with stringent safety measures. These include physical distancing, restricted numbers present in audiences and sanitisation.

Dedicated and updated information regarding outdoor events is now available on the Visit Scotland website. This is regularly edited to keep up with the latest government guidelines in Scotland.

Words by Olivia Devereux-Evans.

Originally published at https://www.indiependent.co.uk on August 22, 2020.