The Future of Theatre
Gathering friends far and wide during covid lockdowns to talk about what artists and creatives could do for and with each other.
ClientTheatre industry professionalsWebsite-Servicesproducer, moderatorYear2020 - 2021
During the pandemic live art forms like theatre were particularly affected by the coronavirus, with many institutions in danger of closing if they didn’t receive either proper governmental aid and/or embraced innovations that would allow them to keep producing.
In an effort to connect people in and out of the industry I gathered some friends far and wide to talk about what had changed since the first lockdown, what we’d learned, what artists and creatives could do for and with each other in order to remain resilient. This culminated in producing two digital events: “(an optimistic look on) the Future of Theatre”.
The goal of it was to be inspired by examples of historical movements, innovative research, contemporary examples of productions and new community building initiatives so that any challenges that awaited them could be dealt with an optimistic and defiant response. The future of the theatre experience should come out of an inclusive and exciting scene that will have evolved both naturally as well as with conscious effort.
Over the two events we ended up having opera, contemporary dance, musical theatre, stand-up comedy, and rock song performances, as well as talks on community building, historical lectures and promotions of academic courses and new theatre initiatives.
This is what some guests had to say about the gatherings:
“You were right in your predictions: it was uplifting and much of it very moving. Discussions and positive actions must continue. And then theatre for the ‘new times’ (the repeated phrase had not escaped me) will emerge. I still harbour a hope that it won’t be made up of audio-theatre or zoomed or videoed performances and that we shall come back to performers receiving what the extraordinary dancer from Bern, Ana, described as the “energy of a live audience”. And the audience again being able to smell and feel the buzz of a live performance. How? Well, that’s what meetings like last night’s force us to think about.”
– Andrew Visnevski
Quite the loveliest and most hopeful theatre gathering I have had the chance to be at in all this corona time. Thank you for masterminding such a splendid evening. And you are a fantastic compare, artist, joiner of the dots, silver quick on your feet thinker…
Beautiful.
– Gabrielle Moleta
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