Dear theatre friend,
It’s with mixed emotions that I write this final note, with fingers crossed that the era of Corona virus is ending. This newsletter has served me well– I’ve remained connected to news of plays, and to other theatre lovers, during these past fifteen months. The many thanks from readers have been most gratifying.
I hope we will look back at this pandemic period with enormous admiration for all those theatre companies which have ever so ingeniously created work specifically for the screen. Also, let’s applaud those companies which had the foresight, and funds, to archive their previous productions.
I’m not going to report on various U.K. work going up live this summer, like the venerated Chichester Festival— although it is making me salivate! Lamentably, my favorite festival, the Edinburgh Fringe, will be offering a much reduced program of open air and highly spaced performances this August. I’m looking longingly to 2022 when, along with the Fringe Society, I’ll be supporting work that will be fully produced then.
There will be outdoor performances in many local venues, but my extreme prejudice is still for sitting in an enclosed space, feeling the energy and emotion of fellow audience members. Unfortunately, that’s what’s been missing from even the best videoed work.
If you hear of live work that seems promising– please let me know. I’ll pass the word along.
For those of you who still enjoy watching a show on screen, there are listings at National Theatre At Home; Broadway HD; Theatermania; TDF and beautifully filmed plays at Mint, Irish Rep, Finborough for Free– among many other companies.
Still solvent theatres are switching their efforts to creating live work—there are many. Philanthropy has carried non-profit theatres forever and now, it looks as if our government will step up support for the arts, too. By September, I hope to return with news of those productions.
Until then, enjoy the season– and thank you for reading this now obsolete missive.
That’s all for now–
Carol Tambor publishes a monthly newsletter, which announces worthy shows coming to New York, along with occasional information about London theatre and, of course, the Edinburgh Fringe.