Covid: Six the Musical at Hull New Theatre cancelled

Six the Musical has been a West End smash after starting life at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017

A theatre's first full-capacity performances since last year have been cancelled after cast members tested positive for Covid-19.

Hull New Theatre had been due to stage a short run of smash-hit West End show Six the Musical this week.

Touring company Kenny Wax said it was left with no choice but to cancel the performances after members were forced to self-isolate.

The theatre apologised and said shows had been rescheduled to next April.

Six the Musical, first performed at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017 before it went on to become a West End smash, was meant to be Hull New Theatre's first full-capacity performance since the start of the pandemic.

A spokeswoman for Kenny Wax Productions said the whole touring company had to self-isolate as a result of close contact with members who had tested positive.

"We are left with no option, in order to follow government guidelines, other than to have to cancel all performances of Six at the Hull New Theatre this week," she said.

She advised customers their tickets would "remain valid for the rescheduled dates".

Organisers said tickets for Six would "remain valid for the rescheduled dates"

The cancellation was announced as lockdown restrictions across the UK - including capacity limits on entertainment venues - were lifted.

Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber has criticised self-isolation rules after he had to take the "heart-breaking decision" not to open his West End production of Cinderella when a cast member contracted coronavirus.

Actors' union Equity said in a statement: "Due regard must be given by the government to the industry's pleas to enable the opening of productions where it is safe to do so, and it must bring forward the planned changes to self-isolation rules."

Equity has previously called for workers in the entertainment industry who have come into close contact with someone with Covid-19 to not have to self-isolate (unless they have tested positive themselves) from Monday, rather than the current planned date of 16 August.