Jude Law backs crowdfunding campaign to save the nation’s theatres

Pentameters Theatre's Léonie Scott-Matthews and Godfrey Old. Picture: Polly Hancock (Image: Archant)

Highgate actor Jude Law is backing a crowdfunding campaign to help save the nation’s theatres.

The joint enterprise between the Theatres Trust and Crowdfunder comes after the platform was used by struggling venues to raise more than half a million pounds during lockdown.

Crowdfunder has waived its fees so all money goes direct to the venues with fundraising pages for 40 theatres now live - from pub venues such as Hampstead’s Pentameters and the Lion&Unicorn in Kentish Town, to the Hackney Empire and Almeida in Islington.

All have been closed since March and are awaiting the green light to reopen.

Venues such as Pentameters provided early career boosts for many stars, including French and Saunders and Ben Elton, who performed at the Hampstead pub theatre at the time of Charles and Diana's wedding. Picture: Polly Hancock (Image: Archant)

Law, an ambassador for the Theatres Trust, whose early career was boosted by a 1992 role at Hampstead Theatre, urged people to donate: “Growing up I was fortunate to be taken to theatres regularly and this was where my love of acting first began. To this day nothing beats the magic of live performance and the connection between audience and performer. We are lucky to have so many amazing theatres, from historic playhouses like Theatre Royal Margate to groundbreaking community spaces like Greenwich to intimate pub theatres like Hampstead’s Pentameters.

“But coronavirus has simply devastated our theatre sector. Communities across the UK are in real danger of losing their theatres forever and we risk losing a precious part of national culture and heritage. Theatres are a vital community hub that bring joy to millions of people each year and we must try and save them for generations to come.”

Jon Morgan, Director at Theatres Trust which supports the nation’s 1100 theatres, expects more to come on board the Save Our Theatres campaign: “Every day theatres are facing the tough decision to make staff redundant and to close their doors until next year. There is a real risk that those closures could be permanent. Without urgent support, we could lose many of our nation’s amazing theatres. Please help us to make sure our theatres survive this crisis and will be enjoyed by future generations.”

Donate at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/save-our-theatres

Highgate actor Jude Law is backing the Theatres Trust's Save Our Theatres campaign with venues including The Almeida in Islington set to benefit from the crowdfunding project (Image: Archant)