Theatre
W hat h ave w e le ar n e d f ro m a y e ar of r e m o te th e atre? Despite
a year of empty auditoriums, the past twelve months have seen an explosion of innovation within the realm of theatre. The notion of what a play is, or has the potential to be, has been radically questioned. After a year of experimentation, largely online, not only has a lot been learned in terms of how performance can be brought into the future, but also how much there is left to discover within the field. As the prospect of ‘in-person’ performance continues to feel distant, it seems worthy to reflect on what the past year has unearthed, and what lessons can be implemented going forward. Recent discourse in the theatre community has frequently circled back to the idea of definition - can a streamed, archived production or zoom play be considered comparable to the likes of a production of Howard Pinter in the Gate? This particular framing of validity on the basis of exclusion is common, but not always productive. That is not to say, however, that the inherent differences between in-person performance and a play staged on an online platform cannot be ignored. In a way similar to film, pre-recorded or streamed shows rarely allow for the same suspension of belief that in-person theatre does. It takes more effort to translate the feeling of unity that is derived from sitting beside strangers in the dress circle to solitary home viewing – with many valiant but infrequently fruitful attempts.
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This is not to say that the remote experience should be framed as less than, or beyond the bounds of what is conceivably theatre. The last year has reaffirmed the age old adage that ‘the show must go on,’ and in the midst of the clunky process of configuring the physical art form to a socially-distanced world many exciting possibilities have emerged. While the prospect of returning to the traditional theatre space is as exciting as it is enticing, it is theatre’s duty to engage and react to the present. Remote theatre is at its best when it's not trying to be filler in the socially distant liminal space or signpost towards a point when ‘things are back to normal.’ Acceptance of the times does not have to be a restriction to theatrical practice. Instead, they can inform, and elevate what current theatre can be. In this vein, the wheel doesn’t have to be re-invented, but some roles do need to be recontextualised to fit present media. Practice across the board has had to shift, which is a process theatre makers are still figuring out. While eagerly looking towards the opportunity to jump back into the rehearsal room, it is important to look at what roles have remained somewhat intact despite the circumstances.
