Theatre in the Time of Corona

Dear theatre friend,

I hope this interlude will be as productive for you as it is for some of my playwright friends. Ella Hickson (“Eight”,”The Writer”,”Oil”) said this enforced isolation is like going on a retreat– perfect for writing. She also offered that when Shakespeare was quarantined because of the Bubonic Plague, he wrote “King Lear!” Perhaps, she’ll write something herself for us soon.

From Australian Children’s Laureate 2020-2021, Ursula Dubosarsky, comes this poem:

There was a cough and then another
The little cat ran to her mother
“What can we do?” “Well, wash your paws,”
Her mother said, “And all your claws.
“We’ll stay inside and shut the door.
You’ll laugh and hide and read and draw
“And think of all the games you’ll play!
You’ll sleep and eat and then one day…
“You’ll see the door is open wide-
The sun will shine, you’ll run outside-
“Just look at how I’ve grown!” you’ll say,
“Since all the time I’ve been away!”
So wash your paws and don’t feel blue
The little cat knows what to do
And wait until the morning when
Our big old world is right again.

Journalist and friend, Jackie McGlone, has interviewed just about every contemporary writer and many UK theatre artists. She thought you might enjoy reading her interview with Harriet Walter (all female Shakespeare, Donmar and St. Ann’s.)

Here’s a generous offer for our play-starved souls— all day today, you can link to the wonderful theatre company, Open Clasp, whic his broadcasting free showings of New York Times’ Critics Pick, “Key Change,” by Catrina McHugh. After the play was seen in NY, it was chosen to be shown in Parliament so that ministers might understand the plight of women in prison. Then, Catrina was given an MBE honor by Queen Elizabeth for giving voice to the unheard– well deserved!

More to come, I’m counting on your generosity to get in touch with a story, poem, memory.

And, once again, thank you for reading.