how does Theatre work in a heatwave? | audience advice and new onstage measures and changes

Summary

Episode Summary: "How Does Theatre Work in a Heatwave? | Audience Advice and New Onstage Measures and Changes"

MickeyJoTheatre | Host: Mickey Jo | June 28, 2026

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Overview of the Episode

In this lively and informative episode, Mickey Jo explores how extreme summer heatwaves are affecting theatre production and audience experiences, particularly in the UK. With characteristic wit and insight, he discusses adaptation strategies by venues, gives practical advice for audiences venturing out in the heat, and highlights new backstage measures prioritizing cast and crew welfare. Drawing on personal anecdotes and the wider industry response, Mickey Jo offers an engaging look at how the theatre world is coping—and innovating—during this climate challenge.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Heatwave Context and Episode Purpose

• Mickey Jo sets the stage by humorously acknowledging the UK’s unprecedented heatwave, joking about the inadvisability of reviewing multiple plays in "36 degree heat" ([03:00]).
• He pivots from traditional reviews to focus on “how this weather has been affecting UK theatres, as well as a little bit of advice for anyone...continuing to see a lot of theatre this week” ([03:40]).
• The episode is inclusive, inviting audience stories from listeners around the globe dealing with similar heat extremes ([04:16]).

2. Venue Adaptation: Air Conditioning & Infrastructure

• Majority of theatres, including major West End venues and smaller spaces, are now well air-conditioned.
  • “The vast majority of theaters that I have attended over the past weeks have been beautifully air conditioned” ([05:00]).
  • Ticket apps like TodayTix are promoting and letting you filter for air-conditioned productions ([05:33]).
• Some notable examples:
  • The Other Palace Theatre: “Beautifully air conditioned” during the press night of Hot Mess ([06:10]).
  • Southwark Playhouse Borough: Once "biblically warm," now has "arctic air conditioning" ([06:50]).
  • Acknowledges improved conditions in venues that were once “apocalyptically warm” ([07:28]), quipping about UK heat being described in “anecdotal phrases rather than exact numbers” ([07:55]).
• Some venues utilize creative solutions:
  • Bristol Hippodrome: Opened the skylight roof “for the first time in more than a decade” to help with air flow, a move Mickey Jo lampoons with “I’m not Mickey Joe Science” ([08:58]).
  • Skylights also at London Palladium and Shaftesbury Theatre, though some are currently sealed due to building work ([09:38]).

3. Outdoor & Open-Air Theatre Challenges

• Discusses unique discomforts—and occasional pleasures—of open-air venues:
  • “Open air venues…can be something of a gamble, especially for afternoon performances” ([10:12]).
  • Recounts being sunburned at a To Kill a Mockingbird matinee at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ([10:54]).
  • Shakespeare’s Globe's midnight performance was “surprisingly warm...there was a real lack of breeze” ([11:44]).
• Advice: “If I can give one piece of advice to the young people watching, it is to wear SPF today. Your skin will thank you in your 30s” ([11:12]).

4. Fashion & Dress Code: What to Wear?

• Reflects on historical standards and changing expectations:
  • In the 1922 heatwave, “theatres closed...people would have been wearing far more conservative clothes and layers” ([12:10]).
  • Ongoing debate about dressing up for theatre; validates practical adaptations such as “exercise shorts” paired with a “long oversized shirt and a tie” for smart-casual events ([13:14]).
  • Shares “pro tip”: “At West End Live...my master stroke has been to wear swimming trunks, but in like a kind of a neutral style and of an appropriate length” ([13:56]).

5. Performer and Crew Welfare: Onstage Measures

• Workplace Safety:
  • Addresses concern for those working on and around stage: “I tend to be less concerned about audiences as I am about those working on stage and backstage” ([14:48]).
  • Equity (the actors’ union) is “calling for maximum safe temperatures at which people are expected to work” ([15:18]).
  • Historic architecture exacerbates heat retention: “Many of these buildings, old Victorian buildings, were designed to trap heat” ([15:36]).
• Cast Costuming, Cooling, and Performance Modifications:
  • Paddington Bear at the West End: Speculates about potential “cooling mechanism within this state of the art bear costume” ([16:37]).
    • “Artie Shah always emerges at the curtain call with like exceptional hair. Like does not look sweaty, does not look a mess” ([16:52]).
    • Artie Shah reportedly did “sauna-based heat training in preparation for this role” ([16:58]).
  • Avenue Q (Shaftesbury Theatre):
    • Introducing “short pauses in the show...for allowing the performers to cool down and properly hydrate” ([17:19]).
    • “To be on stage in these temperatures with your arms inside of Trekkie Monster, you have to imagine that’s basically like wearing a duvet” ([17:43]).
    • Praises producers for “prioritizing the health of the cast” over comedy rhythm ([17:51]).
  • Six (The Musical):
    • Previously implemented “brief breaks during the performance” ([18:13]).
    • Cast have made subtle modifications for heat, e.g., Jane Seymour’s ponytail as a “hot weather measure” ([18:38]).
  • Other shows facing challenges:
    • Phantom of the Opera (“prosthetic makeup”), Stranger Things (“hazmat suits”), Cabaret (“gorilla suit”) referenced as particularly challenging roles for heat.
  • Advocates for policy: “There does need to be policy. There do need to be regulations. We do need to be considerate of safety” ([19:12]).

6. Audience Q&A and Community Engagement

• Encourages listeners to “comment down below with your best stories of seeing theatre in hot temperatures as well as the best air conditioned venues” ([19:22]).
• Stresses mutual support: “I hope that everyone is staying safe and hydrated and I hope as always that you have a stagey day” ([19:25]).

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "Like my man Lin-Manuel Miranda said, it is too darn hot. Like my man Cole Porter said. No, but really, there is a heat wave. Oh my God." — Mickey Jo ([03:01])
• "If I can give one piece of advice to the young people watching, it is to wear SPF today. Your skin will thank you in your 30s." — Mickey Jo ([11:12])
• "There is perhaps a misconception though that it's only the big West End theaters that are going to be able to do this. There are some smaller venues that are doing great things with their air conditioning as well." — Mickey Jo ([05:47])
• "To be on stage in these temperatures with your arms inside of Trekkie Monster, you have to imagine that that's basically like wearing a duvet. I don't even want to think about what kind of a tog classification Trekkie Monster has, but it's got to be high." — Mickey Jo ([17:43])
• "This is a workplace like any other. There does need to be policy. There do need to be regulations. We do need to be considerate of safety. I know no ticket holders want for a performance to be cancelled, but ... we have to prioritize the individuals on stage." — Mickey Jo ([19:12])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• Heatwave frame, audience reassurance/advice: [03:21]–[05:20]
• Venue adaptation (air conditioning & skylights): [05:21]–[09:50]
• Open-air theatre challenges & SPF advice: [10:00]–[11:44]
• What to wear: fashion & history: [12:10]–[14:13]
• Performer/crew welfare & onstage measures: [14:48]–[19:12]
• Call for audience stories/community engagement: [19:22]

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Summary Takeaways

• Theatre is adapting—with air conditioning, modified show routines, and audience advice—to meet the realities of summer heatwaves.
• Performers’ and crew safety is top priority, with backstage changes, union advocacy, and producer-led show pauses.
• Outdoor venues remain beautiful but risky; careful planning (and sunscreen!) is essential.
• Dress codes are evolving, as practicality takes precedence during climate extremes.
• Mickey Jo blends humor, personal insight, and industry knowledge to create both an informative and entertaining resource for theatregoers navigating the heatwave.

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For ongoing advice, heatwave stories, and show reviews, follow MickeyJoTheatre on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform. Stay cool and have a stagey day!

Transcript

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To make it happen for you, visit a Marshalls store near you or shop online and marshalls.com like my man Lin Manuel Miranda said, it is too darn hot. Like my man Cole Porter said. No, but really there is a heat wave. Oh my God. Hey, welcome back to my theater themed YouTube channel. Or hello to those of you listening to this on podcast platforms. My name is Mickey Jo and I'm currently unprecedentedly warm. So warm in fact, that though I continue to be obsessed with all things theater, and though I am your favorite social media theater critic and content creator, I am assuming assuming the current UK heatwave has made it very challenging for me to, for example, sit here for 90 minutes and talk continuously about four different plays that I've seen over the past couple of weeks, don't worry, that content is on its way as and when the temperature once again stabilizes to a still warm but not ridiculous level. Listen, I can't be discussing Aiden Turner and Les Liaison dangerous in what is already 36 degree heat that is medically inadvisable. So instead I bring you what is hopefully a briefer conversation today about how this weather has been affecting UK theatres, as well as a little bit of advice for anyone like myself who is continuing to see a lot of theatre this week. Perhaps you have tickets booked already, or perhaps the lure of an air conditioned building is actually a more attractive prospect than your own very warm homes if your residences happen to be anything like mine. And while we're on the subject of heat, there are a couple of interesting anecdotes that I wanted to share with you from this and previous years about how West End and regional UK theatres have chosen to adapt to the extreme temperatures. We are talking auditorium modifications, alterations to the show and wake changes. All of this and more to look forward to in this conversation. And since in these days of climate instability heat waves affect many more places beyond just the United Kingdom, I would love to hear in the comments down below some of your experiences about theater going in high temperatures. I know there are people tuning in from Australia, from South America, from across North America. I'm sure you have some great stories about seeing shows when it's been real hot. So before I entirely make like a Madame Tussauds wax statue during one of their many fires, let's talk about theatre going in a heat wave. So for anyone who is concerned about imminent or upcoming theatre trips that they may have booked, though the temperatures are set to drop over the coming days, I would like to reassure you that the vast majority of theaters that I have attended over these past weeks have been beautifully air conditioned. In fact, the app Todaytix as well as other ticket sellers have been promoting air air conditioned productions. I think they may even have a feature on the app now where you can filter the shows that you are searching by which ones have air conditioning. And the various West End auditoria that I have been in have over the past few years been utilizing air conditioning to different levels of effectiveness. Feel free to share your own experiences of this in the comments below, as well as perhaps name and shame the venues that remain exceedingly warm. There is perhaps a misconception though that it's only the big West End theaters that are going to be able to do this. There are some smaller venues that are doing great things with their air conditioning as well. Well, earlier this week I attended the Press Night of Hot Mess, ironically at the other Palace Theatre and the entire venue beautifully air conditioned. So as if you needed another reason to go and support brand new brilliant musical theater, go and check that one out. But also Redcliffe in Southwark Playhouse, Borough and they've come a long way as a venue because a few years ago I remember being the press night for how to succeed in Business without really Trying. And I may as well have swum there. It was biblically warm, apocalyptically warm, warm in a way that meant that was all that we could talk about for the duration of the interval and then after the show, which, if you don't know, is something that British people love to do. With the temperatures in this country usually being defined by a series of anecdotal phrases rather than exact numbers. For what it's worth, they have now risen above lovely and warm, perfect barbecue weather, positively Mediterranean and actually a bit too hot now, with the current temperatures reaching a level that British people can only describe as bloody boiling. Anyway, the large space at Southwark Playhouse Borough now has beautiful air conditioning, arctic air conditioning, even, that I happen to be sat right in front of immediately beneath when I saw Redcliffe there a couple of weeks ago. So again, I think tickets are actually almost sold out for that run. But Jonathan Larson Project also opening subsequently at the venue. Feel free to head there throughout the summer. They have their temperature situation under control, in fact, in both of their spaces, because I remember being at a workshop last summer for Monaloosa. And again, great air conditioning, frosty even. And theatres are very much aware of this and they are doing what they can in order to try and maintain audience comfort. If you notice auditoria having the doors closed prior to you heading in, rather than seeming more kind of beckoning and welcoming, that is probably to maintain the temperature inside those spaces. The Bristol Hippodrome in the west country has done something during this week's performances of Matilda the Musical that they reportedly haven't done in more than a decade, which is to open the skylight roof. The auditorium has air conditioning. But opening that kind of a window in the very top of a building, scientifically speaking, means that the hot air, I gather, is going to be able to rise. I'm not Mickey Joe's Science. We know this to be true, but it's a novelty in any case, that they're able to do that. Interestingly enough, not the only theater with a skylight. I recall being at the London Palladium seeing the wizard of Oz when Hannah Waddingham as the Wicked Witch of the west before she was melting, spoiler alert. Actually descended from the skylight above down into the auditorium. The Shaftesbury Theater in the West End, I think, is another one that has a skylight. Although ironically, work is currently being done to the venue's upper level and it is sealed off by way of a false ce, so that's not really going to help anybody right now. We will return to the Shafte Spree in their current show, Avenue Q, a little later in this conversation. Meanwhile, what about the theaters that don't have a roof? What about open air venues, including Shakespeare's Globe, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, and many more around the country? Well, this can be something of a gamble, especially for afternoon performances. By an evening, the temperatures tend to have cooled off a little bit. And for the most part, to see a show in either of those spaces on a lovely warm summer's evening can be an extraordinarily gorgeous experience and something I wholeheartedly recommend at each of those venues. They are both, in their own way, utterly magical. However, I have attended an afternoon performance of To Kill a Mockingbird, which was an extraordinary production at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre years ago, and I do recall the blazing sun from above. I think I probably got a sunburn during that show, which is not something that I had thought about prior to attending. Irresponsible teenager that I was. Gosh, if I can give one piece of advice to the young people watching, it is to wear SPF today. Your skin will thank you in your 30s. And I've heard through the grapevine that there are certain temperatures at which Regent's park would consider cancelling their matinee performances. I don't believe, having glanced through their socials, that that has necessarily happened this week, but they are reviewing the situation, as Fagin and Oliver would say. Now, I was actually at Shakespeare's Globe last weekend, the weekend of Midsummer and the Longest Day, but I was seeing anything but a matinee. I was actually there for the midnight performance of A Midsummer Stream, and it was surprisingly warm. Given that this was, you know, going through the hours of the night into 2am the problem, as much as anything else, I think, was just how still it was. There was a real lack of breeze. Occasionally there would be a slight hint of a thing and we'd all be very grateful for it. But it was, it was quite warm. I would prepare you, if you're heading to that kind of a theatrical experience, just to be aware that in extreme heat that actually could be more challenging because they can't provide air conditioning in the outdoors. And a number one tip from me, whether you are at the theater or not in this current weather, is to make sure that you remain hydrated. Now, let's have a sidebar conversation about what One wears to the theater during extreme temperatures. And I was reading about the London heatwave of I think it was 1922, and how people responded to it at the time. And back then, theaters closed in the face of these extreme heats. Of course, there wasn't air conditioning back then. But also, as was the social custom, people would have been wearing far more conservative clothes and layers in workplaces and to go to the theatre. And there remains this perhaps unnecessary ongoing debate about whether or not you should dress up to go to the theatre. For some people, it remains a very special occasion. For some people, it's something you might do a little more regularly. You might be coming from work, it might be 36 degrees outside. What do you wear? And this is perhaps incredibly niche fashion advice that I'm offering you right now. But I tend to go to performances that are also press nights, opening night performances, when I do feel some obligation to dress a little smarter because there is candid photography happening and videogr and there are celebrities and creatives and people in your midst and you like to dress up. It's an occasion. There might be a carpet. Only smart menswear tends to imply suits and long trousers and there are floatier fabrics and there are linens and things. Yesterday, not to brag, I was at the launch of the UK and West End return of the original production of Billy Elliot, and Stephen Daldry was there, announcing the new young performers who were going to share the role of Billy and Sir Elton John was there. Big event, lots of people, glasses of Prosecco in the garden, all that jazz. And on this particular occasion, I decided the more uncomfortable thing would have been to wear a long trouser. So I built a smart enough outfit around exercise shorts, like just a black but clearly sporty exercise short, but with a long oversized blue and white striped shirt and a tie. Which sounds crazy, but at that point it wasn't really making much of a difference to how warm I was up here. It was giving Renee wrap on a press tour. And my thinking is if you sort of overcompensate with how smart you are up here, you can justify a short down below at West End Live this weekend and last year, my master stroke has been to wear swimming trunks, but in like a kind of a neutral style and of an appropriate length, and pair it perhaps with a T shirt or a breathable sports top. So helpful as that may or may not have been, that has been heatwave fashion advice with Mickey Jo. And honestly, when we reach these temperatures, I tend to be less concerned about audiences and theatergoers as I am about those working on stage and back.

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You have to think about the crew and lighting operators and people rushing around wearing black garments and working in in very warm environments throughout the West End and around the country. Many of these buildings, old Victorian buildings, were designed to trap heat. They are incredibly warm spaces. That tends to be much of the problem in the British summer. So much of our architecture is built to retain warmth, and that's before we consider what they have to do on stage and the ensembles performing extended dance numbers and kicking and jumping and running around and doing quick changes and having to put on layers and layers. Think of the company in Les Mis putting on all of those coats lying there on the barricade. Think of the poor performers who are going to have to put on the Paddington Bear costume. I am deeply concerned about the Paddington Bear costume this week, although I have been personally subscribing to a conspiracy theory that There is some sort of cooling mechanism within this state of the art bear costume. Because from the beginning of the run, after doing this entire show, principal Paddington performer Artie Shah always emerges at the curtain call with like exceptional hair. Like does not look sweaty, does not look a mess. I, while watching Paddington from the air conditioned stalls end up sweating more than it seems like Arti Shah does. And I know that she did specific like sauna based heat training in preparation for this role. But something magical seems to be happening and if it keeps them safe during the summer heat. Fantastic news. There are some other fur adjacent performers in the West End though who have had to take special measures. It has been announced that performances of Avenue Q at the Shaftesbury Theatre. I told you we'd be circling back. Are going to be implementing short pauses in the show. So if you're seeing it and this happens, don't be concerned. I dare say they'll probably make an announcement at the theatre to make sure everyone knows the house lights will remain down. They will just be adding these sort of of brief gaps which aren't fantastic for comedy, but they are fantastic for allowing the performers to cool down and properly hydrate. Because to be on stage in these temperatures with your arms inside of Trekkie Monster, you have to imagine that that's basically like wearing a duvet. I don't even want to think about what kind of a tog classification Trekkie Monster has, but it's got to be high. And so, you know, kudos to those producers for prioritizing the health of the cast. The show is also deceptive in them getting very few breaks because the tracks tend to be such that like Kate Monster will only be in this sc, Lucy is in the next scene. And also it's not always clear to the audience how much multi rolling they're doing. There are moments when there's a Trekkie Monster up here and then there's another one down there. And that's because Noah, who plays Princeton Rod throughout the show is going to help out with that moment. And they are all working so hard and constantly doing things on stage. This feels really necessary. It's also not the first time it's been done done. Back in I think 20226 the musical also announced that they were going to be adding in brief breaks during the performance. This is another show where the entire company pretty much is on stage the entire time and they are wearing corseting and they are wearing fairly inflexible costumes that they can't really adjust for the heat. Although more on that in just a moment. And they're dancing around in heels under lighting and they are pretty much standing the entire time as well. Well, so I wouldn't be surprised if this week they also announced that they were doing a similar thing once more. Now, earlier in six's West End life, back when it was at its first London venue, the Arts Theatre, I do remember one or two performances and this was back in the days of like the Mega Sixes being instantly very popular online and I would watch almost every one that got uploaded and they were an event. I remember Natalie Paris was playing Jane Seymour. She originated the role and there was this Mega six and she had her hair in a ponytail and I thought why on earth does Jane Seymour have a ponytail? Like she can. It's fine. And it turns out that that was a hot weather measure because her usual hairstyle in the show would be this blonde extension piece that is heavy and flowing down her neck and her back. And so this just allowed her to be that little bit cooler while performing in the very warm Arts Theatre. And there are a couple of shows that could perhaps make subtle modifications to hair to costuming. There are also a handful of show shows that really can't. I feel for the actors under the prosthetic makeup in Phantom of the Opera. I feel for the actors putting on the hazmat suits in Stranger Things, the first shadow. I feel for the actor over at cabaret at the KitKat club who has to get dressed up as a gorilla. And in general, you know, these are people at work. This is a workplace like any other. There does need to be policy. There do need to be regulations. We do need to be considerate of safety. I know no ticket holders want for a performance to be cancelled, but in this moment, as in all others, we have prioritize the individuals on stage and their health and their safety. Hopefully that is happening in theaters around the country. For now, that is about all the time I have for this conversation because it is time for me to go and get ready to head to another press night. Stay tuned for more reviews, vlogs and other content from me in the coming days. Make sure to subscribe here on YouTube. Follow me on podcast platforms. You know the drill. Don't forget to comment down below with your best stories of seeing theater in hot temperatures as well as the best air conditioned venues that you have sat inside over the past couple of weeks here in the uk. For now though, I hope that everyone is staying safe and hydrated and I hope as always that you have a stagey day for 10 more seconds. I'm Mickey Jo Theatre. Oh my God. Hey, thanks for watching. Have a stagey day. Subscribe

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