COVID Cancels Qween Lear at Sydney Festival

Qween Lear, which was set to be held at Sydney Festival, has been cancelled due to positive confirmed COVID-19 cases within the cast.

“Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 and positive confirmed cases within the cast, the season of Qween Lear at Sydney Festival has been cancelled. All ticket holders will be refunded in full automatically,” organisers wrote on the Sydney Festival website.

Set in ancient Sydney before the Olympics, Qween Lear is a 90-minute musical adaptation of King Lear that was set to be performed by drag queens. The musical features Seann Miley Moore from X Factor UK and Etcetera Etcetera from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under.

Sadness and Disappointment at the News

According to a tweet by journalist Steve Dow, “Covid chaos claims Sydney Festival’s Qween Lear, which had already suffered a major cast change after drag queen Minnie Cooper parted ways under a ‘betterment’ clause.”

Dow expressed his disappointment in a follow-up tweet, “*sighhad written a 1200-word yarn I was really happy with about inter-generational understanding framed around this one. Not to be. Spiked. Heart goes out to the creators and talent. Maybe next year? Onward.”

*sighhad written a 1200-word yarn I was really happy with about inter-generational understanding framed around this one. Not to be. Spiked. Heart goes out to the creators and talent. Maybe next year? Onward. Photo: Janie Barrett. pic.twitter.com/DDzJexPTlg

— Steve Dow (@dowsteve) December 29, 2021

Writer Blake Erickson posted, “My heart goes out to the cast, crew, creatives, and producers of Queen Lear. I’m certain that you will be back to present this landmark new production very soon.”

My heart goes out to the cast, crew, creatives, and producers of Queen Lear. I’m certain that you will be back to present this landmark new production very soon. #sydneyfestival #qweenlear ❤️🧡💜

— Blake Erickson (@Blake_Erickson) December 29, 2021

Author Kevin Klehr tweeted, “As I shared a few days ago, Warren and I buy Sydney Festival tickets as our gifts to ourselves the Christmas. Well, the first has been cancelled. Qween Lear has cancelled its full run.”

As I shared a few days ago, Warren and I buy Sydney Festival tickets as our gifts to ourselves the Christmas.
Well, the first has been cancelled. Qween Lear has cancelled it’s full run.https://t.co/LYbR9Pc9SP

— 𝕂𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕟 𝕂𝕝𝕖𝕙𝕣🕺 🏳️‍🌈 (@kevinklehr) December 29, 2021

‘It’s Pure Camp Fun, Which is Exactly What We All Need’

Prior to the cancelation, performers took to social media to share their excitement.

“So excited to announce I’ll be joining the incredibly talented cast of Qween Lear at Sydney Festival as Regan.

“Hilarious, extravagant and extremely f*cking naughty, Qween Lear is Shakespearean theatre of decadent drag show proportions. Witness loyalties, banishments and betrayals as this begins to crumble,” Etcetera Etcetera posted on Facebook.

“It’s pure camp fun, which is exactly what we all need. Not to mention it’s in the iconic [Hordern Pavilion] I haven’t performed in there for years, the acoustics are fantastic, so I’m going to love belting out the brilliant tracks LIVE,” said Paulini in an Instagram post.

“Black women who have been iconised by the gay community and brought so much joy into the lives of many. The gay community, and its culture, have always welcomed me with open arms, supported me, my music,” she added.

More Australian Musicals Cancelled Due to COVID Outbreaks

Major Aust musicals cancel shows as more than 90 performers contract Covid

Hamilton, Come From Away, Jagged Little Pill, A Chorus Line, Frozen the Musical & Opera Aust disrupted by major outbreaks as Sydney festival show Qween Lear cancels entire run

https://t.co/YkH3COEeJ0

— NOT a Canberra Bubbler 🌲🌏🌲 (@MSMWatchdog2013) December 29, 2021

Several other Australian musicals have been cancelled, both in Sydney and Melbourne, due to COVID-19 outbreak. The Sydney productions of Come From Away and Hamilton had cancelled several musicals that lead up to New Year. Frozen the Musical at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne cancelled some performances due to COVID-positive cases.

According to the Guardian, Opera Australia cancelled performances of Great Opera Hits because of a COVID outbreak across the company. In a statement, Opera Australia’s CEO Fiona Allan said, “I don’t think any of us could have foreseen just how fast Omicron would spread and the effects it would have on the industry.”

Qween Lear was scheduled to run from January 7 to 16, 2022.

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