theatre

During the plague Shakespeare and the Lord Chamberlain’s Company went on the road. Rural theatre is an ideal starting point for getting our thespians back on the boards according to this article which tells us:

Reimagining how you might present theatre will be tricky in the West End and more traditional venues, but there is one small but significant part of the industry that may be able to steal a march once the government gives the go ahead for larger gatherings: rural touring.

As The Stage reported last month, this area is under as much economic pressure as other parts of the industry, but it has a significant advantage in that it is small and nimble, and relies on a network of personal relationships and volunteers.

This network and hyperlocal nature helps encourage what Karen Goddard, formerly with Eastern Angles and now a freelance producer, describes as “a feeling of security for audiences”. In village halls with flexible seating, it is likely the person who is sitting next to you will not be a stranger. They could be part of your ‘designated bubble’ of family and friends that has been suggested. The risk feels more manageable than it would be if you had to get on a train to London to see a play at the National Theatre.

Rural venues also offer opportunities for small companies such as Pentabus and New Perspectives, and for independent artists – often travelling very light indeed – to put work in front of audiences long before they may ever get the chance to do so in much bigger spaces. Large-scale theatres will take far longer to get back into production and are almost certain to produce less over the coming years.