An ode to the arts: why the Covid-19 crisis has highlighted how much we all need the theatre
James Corden and Jemima Rooper in One Man, Two Guvnors at The National Theatre, 2011
Evie Robinson offers a personal reflection on the importance of theatre, one of the many industries in crisis due to Covid-19.
In the face of coronavirus, the UK theatre scene has been forced into shutdown, just like many other industries. The country’s leading theatres such as the National Theatre and the RSC, as well as leading producers and writers like Andrew Lloyd Webber, are adapting to the current climate in every way they can, by moving their award-winning theatre content online. The incredible contribution this industry makes to our country is sometimes overlooked; the Arts Council concluded in 2019 that the arts and culture industry now contributes over £10 billion to the UK’s economy. But, for most people, the importance of British theatre goes far beyond money.
One word that comes to mind when I think of theatre is community. People connect over the theatre; the love of a song, a scene, a moment. Theatre brings together people from many different areas of the country and of society, to spend a few hours forgetting the troubles of the outside world and being totally present in the moment. UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre recently revealed that Britain’s theatres drew in an audience of over 34 million in 2018; a number twice that of the Premier League. And yet just this week many Premier League teams are returning to training, preparing to resume matches behind closed doors. We should wonder why our theatres are not being encouraged to return in this same way.
I often see people leaving a performance with a smile spread across their face. Whether it’s hard-hitting drama with a poignant message, or a feel-good musical making you laugh the whole way through, watching a show is almost cathartic, making us think about life in a different way or notice things we had not before.
We might think primarily of the performers when we watch a show; they are the people who bring the story to life and connect with the audience. But the closure of theatres has a profound effect on everyone involved - the technical team, the stage managers, the production team, the ushers, and the front of house staff. Theatre is a lifestyle for many different people, who are all having to adapt in the face of total uncertainty, not knowing if they will ever be able to go back to the job that brings them so much joy. I was recently on a call with some fellow Drama Society students, attempting to plan what we could do if we are unable to return to live theatre in the new university term come September. It made me realise that theatre, on whatever scale, is being affected by this crisis.
Theatre can undoubtedly be inspirational, most evidently to young people, and this has slightly more personal significance for me. My hometown theatre, Curve Leicester, is currently closed due to the Covid-19 crisis and will be until at least the end of October this year. It is the place at which I spent my teenage years discovering a love for acting and directing, and now my place of work when I’m home for the university holidays. I’ve seen first-hand the impact that theatre has on a community; promoting diversity and inclusion, inspiring youngsters to follow their dreams, and providing entertainment to local audiences of the highest calibre. From opening UK tours of Cameron Mackintosh’s world-famous musicals, to offering the same stage for first-time performers to have their moment, Curve encompasses exactly what theatre can and should be. I cannot imagine the gaping hole that would be left in the city if our theatre is unable to re-open.
The sad truth is that this industry is in crisis as a result of the outbreak of Covid-19, and nobody knows how long theatres will be able to keep their doors open for. But perhaps some good has come from this. Our mental health is also in crisis as a result of Covid-19, and with many people isolating alone in their homes, theatre can provide a safe haven and some sanctuary. The National Theatre reported that around 2.5 million people streamed their production of One Man, Two Guvnors during the week that it was broadcast. Theatre, film, music; all of the art forms that we are using to get us through the pandemic are the very things that receive insufficient government funding in schools and the wider community. It is clear that the arts are still a fundamental part of many lives, even during lockdown.