A statement on our forthcoming performances of Homo Alone and Perfect Day

The London Gay Men’s Chorus (LGMC) is pleased to confirm that our Ensemble’s performances of Homo Alone on Sunday 20 June at the Clapham Grand and the Chorus’s performances of Perfect Day on 9-10 July at Cadogan Hall are going ahead as planned.

While members of the LGMC are not professional singers, we are following guidance issued by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for professional rehearsals and performances. As such, we are working alongside the Clapham Grand, Cadogan Hall and our rehearsal venues to ensure risk assessments are completed and implemented, and all guidelines are followed.

At the Clapham Grand, which was used as a test venue to inform the DCMS guidance, singers will be socially-distanced during Homo Alone – including backstage and in dressing rooms – and the venue will be well ventilated with masks compulsory for audience members. Audience capacity is restricted to 350, to reflect the guidance laid out by DCMS.

We would also like to reassure audiences that preparations continue for our forthcoming show Perfect Day at Cadogan Hall. Rehearsals for this show are being conducted in a Covid-secure manner, with chorus members following a set of procedures which have been drawn up in accordance with DCMS guidelines.

We are very pleased to be able to support both the Clapham Grand and Cadogan Hall – two venues that rely on a variety of performers to return to business after a prolonged period of lockdown. The LGMC is part of a broader ecosystem of performers, venues, freelancers, technical crew, front-of-house, artistic and administrative staff that have kept the performing arts sector going in the most challenging of circumstances.

Since the first lockdown began, the LGMC has continued to employ professional artists and freelancers, has performed both virtually and in-person and has not furloughed any of its professional music team or administrative support. We are deeply committed to doing whatever we can to help get the sector back on its feet, and it’s in this spirit that we will continue with our plans while always adhering to our legal obligations to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 for the safety of our members and our audiences.

The LGMC is a family. During the pandemic, we have been reminded of our importance not just as a performing group, but as a band of brothers – here for each other as friends and as a chosen family.

We stand with all choirs and singers who have been disappointed by the recent confusing advice from DCMS, and we fully support the action being taking by musicians across the country to have the DCMS guidance clarified so that all amateur choirs can feel confident in returning to singing, which is such an important part of the musical life of the nation.

For more information about our performances, including tickets, click here.