Stage Management

In every theatre maker’s dream, the pandemic ends, the doors are flung open, and the patrons rush in, hungry for the visceral thrill of live performance. As the house lights dim, an actor speaks, and an ancient art form with a long history of reinvention enters a new golden age.

There’s a nightmare version too: After months of isolation, people crave connection and conversation. But the virus, unlikely to be the last we’ll know, has instilled a phobia of crowded spaces. Sitting in the dark beside strangers continues to feel risky, while at‑home entertainment keeps getting better and better. Theatre is forced into the catacombs, where small bubbles of loyal fans gather around to carry on the ritual of familiar stories and shared outrages.

I believe theatre will survive; it always does. But, in the meantime, these cursed quiet days present us with an opportunity to imagine a better future — one where the hectic, insular activity of putting on plays becomes...