Performing Arts in the Pandemic

Theatre in pre-lockdown society was a luxury. Whilst there was something exhilarating about securing tickets to a long-anticipated show, finding a spare weekend or evening, being able to afford the tickets, and finding transport were just a few in the long list of hinderances theatre posed. Similarly, live theatre has been in a constant battle with the digital world, trying to reach as many as possible through storytelling yet trying to maintain the visual and physical experience of a live performance.

However in light of the pandemic, the streaming of archived shows from venues like The Old Vic, The National Theatre, and Shakespeare’s Globe are being released on various platforms for the first time. Whilst actors’ crinkled frowns and off-handed sighs were rarely noticed by anyone but the elite few in the front row, moving theatre temporarily online changes the game completely. ‘Fleabag’ has found a new home on Amazon Prime, ‘A Street Car Named Desire’ has been uploaded to YouTube, and the original Broadway recording of ‘Hamilton’ is to find its way to Disney Plus on the 3rd of July.

Whilst this is a major step forward by the theatre industry, it bears the question: what is theatre? Is it the physical experience of witnessing live and organic human interaction? If that’s the case, will the digital release of such performances predict the death of live theatre? American Author John Steinbeck suggests not in his claim:

‘The theatre is the only institution in the world which has been dying for four thousand years and has never succumbed. It requires tough and devoted people to keep it alive’.

Of course, Steinbeck probably never comprehended the potential impacts of a pandemic, but his words continue to resonate nevertheless. After all, the fact that musical theatre originates in 487 BC at the Ancient Greek Dionysia festival proves its ability to endure a series of evolution.

Before the pandemic, SOLT’s (Society of London Theatre) latest figures of 2019 ticket sales data showed:

· 15.3 million annual London theatre audiences (nearly 1 million higher than Broadway).

· 80.7% of available seats filled.

· £799m accumulated in box office revenue.

If these figures are anything to go by, we are reminded of the lasting magic of theatre. It has always had an organic playfulness, each performance is completely different to the last, and the thrill of being live offers all sorts of accidental risk and potential for authentic slip-up. As much as the magic of moviemaking utilises the spectacle of green screen and special effects, theatre is always there to offer the fantastic creations of man-made magic, human interaction, and the feel of the moment – arguably something that cannot be manufactured by a computer.

Moving this format online could completely transform the future audience of theatre; whilst some people reading this may have never had the chance to see a show before, lockdown has produced a rare and rousing opportunity to open up this reception. Not to forget that the enduring economic pressures of a socially distanced society threatens the future of theatre, the mass release of these productions serve as a desperate plea to keep the wonders of stage alive. With luck, widening this exposure will spark a passion that can be taken into the next age of a post-pandemic culture – one that must continue supporting the performing arts.

So the next time you’re bored and flicking through Netflix to find the latest show, why not have a google for a theatre production you never thought you’d watch? WhatsOnStage have collated a list of theatre performances currently streaming and can be found in this link: https://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/stage-shows-musicals-opera-free-stream-online_51198.html

Abs xx