The Lord Chamberlain's Men survival fund

Following Government advice in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic we have been forced to postpone our tour of Macbeth this summer. This places the company in a parlous position. We exist on income from ticket sales alone with no back up of any kind or additional funding. At this stage in pre-production we have already spent £40,000 with no way to recover it.

The production was due to begin rehearsals on April 20th, open on May 29th and run until September 27th. It would have visited over 70 venues with more than 80 performances in 6 countries across 18 weeks.

Many of our venues have already shut down and will remain closed for the foreseeable future. The Government has strongly advised against mass gatherings and may move to ban them completely. We don't know how things will develop over the coming months and could not risk continuing under those circumstances.

By postponing the production now we lose the money already spent but it means that we don't plunge further and irrevocably into debt. To postpone is painful but is the only way to ensure the health and safety of the actors and creatives we work with and you, our cherished audience. It is also the only option that gives the company a chance to survive and continue into the future. It will, however, be an extraordinarily difficult year ahead for the company and those we hoped to employ.

If you have already bought a ticket for the tour you will be able to get a full refund. Please contact your ticket provider to organise this. Once you have received your refund, we ask if you would consider donating the amount you paid for your ticket, or whatever you can, to help the company. If you haven’t bought a ticket yet but would like to help, please consider donating the cost of a ticket (on average between £16 and £20) or whatever amount you are able to give. The money we raise will offset production costs already incurred and help towards costs that are yet to come. It will also support those already attached to the production who may be out of work for some time and give the company the best chance of surviving through these unprecedented times.

The target has been set automatically but will be monitored and managed as things progress. The initial target is a fraction of what is required and can be increased should your generosity necessitate it. We could never expect to achieve the amount lost already but anything raised here will make a huge difference. It will go toward supporting the company and helping to ensure its future so that we can entertain you for many years to come. 

Thank you for reading this and, in advance, for your support.

We will see you all in 2021!!

Very best wishes and please stay safe,

Peter Stickney
Artistic Director