Tourists watch actors perform at the house where William Shakespeare was born during celebrations to mark the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Britain, April 23, 2016. /Reuters
Outdoor performances will be allowed to restart in the U.K. from Saturday as long as they have "a limited and socially distanced audience," said the government.
In a further easing of the coronavirus lockdown, indoor gyms and swimming pools in England will also be able to reopen from July 25, according to culture minister Oliver Dowden.
The latest moves follow the reopening of non-essential shops on June 15 and last weekend's reopening of pubs, restaurants, cafes and hairdressers.
"This is an important milestone for our performing artists, who have been waiting patiently in the wings since March," said culture minister Oliver Dowden.
"At the beginning we all stayed at home to protect the (National Health Service) and save lives. Now, the British public has a new part to play - it's time to eat out to help out, to enjoy the arts to help out, and to work out to help out," he added.
July 11 marks the start of stage three of the government's roadmap for reopening the entertainment industry. There are no dates for stages four and five - indoor performances with a limited audience, and indoor performances with a fuller audience.
