Chronicle Editor
Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
Local theatre practitioners say they are finding it difficult to showcase their productions online as it costs a lot of money with little or no gain in return.
Most have said they will rather wait for the lockdown restrictions to be lifted so that they go back to the stage and hold live events.
Due to the Covid-19 induced lockdown, theatre is one of the hardest hit art forms across the globe as it requires an audience. Some countries that are slowly easing lockdown restrictions have since opened up theatres for people to watch plays and small concerts, giving hope to local theatre practitioners. Limited numbers are allowed to attend though.
Zimbabwe is yet to lift the restriction on staging of shows and operation of movie houses/theatres thereby leaving theatre practitioners in a fix. The only option they have for now, is showcasing their productions online. The online option is however very costly for local artistes.
Bulawayo playwright and author, Raisedon Baya said online shows just keep actors and producers relevant with no financial gain.
“Everyone now seems to be focusing on online things. They keep us going yes, but in terms of monetising them and putting food on the table, it’s not working especially for theatre and these other smaller art genres,” Baya said.
He said producing films costs a lot of money so without a sponsor, showcasing the films online for free will be shooting oneself in the foot.
“It’s difficult because most of us don’t have equipment and recording of the actual content requires money as well as paying the filmmaker and artistes. You will have to find a sponsor for this,” said Baya.
Due to these challenges, Baya said theatre practitioners’ focus should be on lobbying Government to allow theatres to reopen.
“Artistes and theatre makers should make noise around bringing back plays to theatre, demonstrating that it can be done safely and therefore lobby Government and the-powers-that-be. I think now rehearsals and the like are allowed so what’s left is the return of plays to theatre.”
He said the idea of reopening theatre will work if Government is convinced to allow it.
“The idea of having theatre with less numbers will work. For example, the Bulawayo theatre capacity is like 300. If you were then allowed to sell 100 or 80 tickets social distancing will work,” Baya said.
Another practitioner, Thabani Moyo concurred:
“Producers must first secure financial resources to cover all the costs of producing these shows. We still need to find out how we can monetise the shows. It is a big challenge.”
Well before Covid-19, theatre shows in Zimbabwe had been attracting low turnouts. It’s only on rare occasions that they get significant numbers in attendance. This trend, as sad as it may be, Moyo said might actually be the saving grace to get theatre productions on stage again.
“The observation that in the theatre sector we’ve been practising social distancing (due to the few numbers who patronise theatres) before Covid-19 appeared is interesting and painfully true. Seriously, theatre has always had low turnout. There are few shows that have filled theatre spaces to capacity.
“So, if we open theatre spaces, we need to go with a social distancing mechanism before, during and after the shows. We need to make sure that the creative process adheres to Covid-19 regulations during rehearsals and make sure that our audiences are protected by disinfecting the spaces before they come in and even after the shows,” said Moyo.
Like Baya, he said it is up to those who own and run theatre spaces, theatre producers and directors to come together and make suggestions to authorities as to how they can have theatre houses functioning again.
Online Reporter