The Japan Times: Responses to the spread of the COVID-19 virus have varied widely from country to country and are changing from day to day. So, while Broadway shows in New York have shut down for at least a month, West End productions in London have been canceled until further notice.
9 comments:
To answer this question in this article’s title, yes and no. I think that aiming for zero risk is what we should all be trying to institute, in not just theatrical endeavors, but in all aspects of our daily life, however that is nearly impossible. I think that this is where theatres and arts organizations have a unique ability to leverage themselves with digital media and digital marketing to reach audiences. This is a conversation that we have been having more and more in my theatre management classes, and I think it ties into this article, since theatres should be continuing to try to engage their audiences through some form during this time. While not a long term solution to the what to do with the virus and what is currently happening, it is a way to keep up hope and keep audiences lifted during a time that is not conducive to that behavior.
This article was written a month ago and it is surprising how much the world changed in such a short period of time. I came back to Japan three days before this article was written. While I was being worried about whether I had been exposed to COVID-19 on my way home, people in Japan seemed less stressed than people in other countries around the world. Unfortunately, that moment of carelessness lead to the rapid rise in infections two weeks later. All the theatres are closed for the past two weeks and there are less people on the streets now. Since the Japanese government requested people to shut their businesses without suggesting any guarantee against loss, there are many theatres that would not be able to survive through the pandemic. At least, I can observe and compare policies against the virus all over the world, but the current policy here is quite controversial. P.S. The image in the article is Kabuki-za, the building I was talking about on the comment for the article, “R.A.W Motoko Ishii”!!
It’s saddening to see theaters have to cancel their productions. I mean, when the rest of our season got canceled I felt very disappointed, for everyone who worked so hard to bring the performances together. Many companies are switching to online distribution of their performances to substitute for canceled live shows. At least there is something that we can do to still have an audience see their work. However, I do think theaters need to shut down now to protect everyone’s health and get the pandemic under control. There have been a lot of people who are breaking lockdown rules/ advice. While I understand, (quarantine really do drive us insane), we need to do everything we can to stop this. The worse thing is probably that we see an irresponsible attitude globally now - there are people who are protesting lockdown orders because they have the right to go outside, and they are going outside.
This is such a hard thing to talk about because in a perfect world the answer would be no. But in reality, there is so much to consider when it comes to finances and the questions about the future of the entertainment industry we are going to have to ask in the world following this outbreak. However, I do think that if possible theaters should shut down operations completely until this situation is under control. I take issue with the idea that people have a right to meet up together in this kind of crisis. People see the closing of businesses and shelter-in-place orders as an attempt to restrict their freedoms when it is really just a matter of public safety. Though there might be some other arguments out there, the arguments I've seen online and videos of protests seem to show that the main argument for not staying home is that they want to go get their haircut or get dinner with friends. And while I can understand that sentiment, I personally understand that we sometimes have to make sacrifices for the greater good, and this is one of those times.
It’s disappointing that the people who run the theater in the article aren’t heeding the request of the government for the safety and well-being of the audience, performers, and technicians. Theater is 100% a non-essential business and people can suck it up and entertain themselves at home for a little bit. It’s selfish, and people can get by for a little bit even if it is difficult. The show really doesn't have to go on through extenuating circumstances. We’ll be out of this soon enough and life will eventually go back to normal. We say the show must go on but it really doesn’t have to. The article doesn’t mention anything about COVID numbers in their area. If the numbers are still climbing, opening back up is definitely irresponsible. It’s possible that their number of cases are going down, but they should probably wait for instructions for the authority having jurisdiction.
It’s really interesting (and frankly, haunting) to read articles like this, written only a MONTH ago, and to see how quickly the world can change. Addressing the first paragraph of this article, Broadway closures have been extended at least another month, and the West End is still on pause. It’s really telling of the times and of the United States’ response, to see that Japan began restricting large gatherings in late February, while we took another 2 and a half weeks to sense danger. I was actually pretty surprised to read that some theaters in Japan stayed open at the time—I tried researching to see if as of a month later they’ve closed, but was unable to find an answer there. (Update: got to the end of the article and as of last week Japan is in a state of emergency, so the show isn’t going on…in person). The line in this article, “we don’t have enough data on this virus so it’s very difficult for us to assess it and make a long term plan” is the first time I’ve seen that statement so plain and simply laid out in thinking about these times. I feel that’s the only answer these deciding people can give—things are going to keep getting pushed off and cancellations extended without answers, with people still spreading the virus.
The answer to this article's question has to be no. This article mentions the idea of the importance of freedom for people to meet up together but this freedom should not be valued over the life or death situation many people who are at risk for this disease are facing. It has been very frustrating to see entitlement from many people at least in our country at least who are inconvenienced by having to stay indoors. People choosing their own needs including needing to get their hair done or wanting to spend time with people they do not get to see often are really disappointing examples of the selfishness that humanity can exhibit. However, it is clear that the subject of this article does not/did not operate with complete disregard for the events unfolding. Given the article was written about a month ago, I do hope that by this point, if the situation is dire enough in Japan, the proper precautions have been taken to ensure public safety.
This article grabbed my attention because it very plainly and simply asked the question we have all been struggling with for weeks now. In reading this article I was shocked to hear of theaters in Japan continuing performances. I had not considered that any venue of the sort would remain open during this time. This is probably spurred from a very deeply rooted, however problematic, sense of American and Eurocentrism that told my gut that when Broadway closed, everybody closed. It is interesting what techniques they are using to keep these venues “safe” and “sanitary” because I bet that most theaters and performance venues will be adopting similar practices once they are allowed to reopen. It is easily assumed that the complete reopening of these spaces will be a process and not an immediate action. I am sure that we will see seats blocked off, masks on patrons, ushers armed with hand sanitizer and many more changes to what we think of in a traditional audience experience.
I understand that this article was written a month ago but, at that time, most of the world had already shut down or at least had been operating in a pretty restricted manner (see: only businesses, etc. that had been deemed “essential”). I sort of get the angle from which they are approaching - that there is a sort of “freedom” of personhood that could mean having the “freedom” to gather - but, frankly, people also have the “freedom” (or, rather, the innate right) to not be unwittingly exposed to COVID-19 (or any other form of illness, for that matter). Quarantine/isolation truly does suck, but there are so many forms of entertainment that can be found online and, if live entertainment is your thing, there are many companies performing previously live performances remotely (and recordings of live performances are being broadcast weekly - if not daily - as well). Theatre is absolutely not an essential service. Sorry ‘bout it, but if one cannot entertain oneself without a singular form of entertainment, then now might be just the time to broaden their taste.
Post a Comment