The Society of London Theatre has said that all performances at West End theatres are cancelled until April 26 “whilst we wait for further clarity from the Government” about the Covid-19 outbreak.
The cancellations apply to around 40 of the “major commercial” theatres in the area.
Ticket holders will be contacted directly “to arrange an exchange for a later date, credit note or refund”, according to a statement from the organisation.
It added that the organisation is currently processing an “unprecedented” number of ticket orders which are being dealt with “in strict date order”.
“We ask for your patience and understanding as the current circumstances mean that it is impossible to process all tickets within our usual 14 days,” the statement said.
It added: “The theatre industry is lobbying Government for a clearer timeframe on closures and extending the legal refund window, and urging credit card companies to look at their automatic charge-back processes during this period.”
Theatres affected by the cancellations include Wyndhams Theatre, London Palladium, London Coliseum and Adelphi Theatre.
The Society of London Theatre statement added that they “look forward to welcoming you back into our theatres as soon as we are allowed to resume performances”.
“In the meantime stay safe and healthy.”