Grit, Joy, & Generosity - Live Theatre amidst COVID-19

 At the time of writing, the Government guidelines surrounding performances and shows for all Tier 2 areas (ie. Peterborough) is as follows:

-        Public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors (subject to social contact rules)

On the 23rd of November we invited artists and arts organisations who have/were planning on putting on a COVID safe live event for a knowledge and skill sharing session. During the sessions we attempted to cover the following – Why live theatre?; Making process; Promoting the event; Permissions/’Red Tape’, Flexibility/contingencies; Staging the events COVID secure; Legal issues; Impact of the event; Mindset.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to a generous and supportive session, which demnionstarted how collaborative the arts community in Peterborough is.

Why live theatre? The consensus was that, compared to digital work, the quality of engagement reached with a live event can be immense. In times like these when we may be putting ten times the effort into an event to get 50% of the usual payoff, we are reminded of the reasons we, as artists, do what we do. It is the joy of the events and projects we produce and the same joy it brings to the people that experience it. So, tip number one is to keep this joy in mind always and know why you’re doing the work.

Tips from Sam Roddan from Art Pop Up from her outdoor live event in September include making your audience, or anyone you’re engaging with, aware of and comfortable with the boundaries that you have to put in place to ensure the events safety. Sam spoke about having use a 2 metre long inflatable crocodile to make real the 2 metre rule to audience members. Another anecdote from Sam is that her event had the police called on it due to people not understanding the parameters and rules around live events during COVID-19. Making sure participants understand boundaries and feel safe within them is crucial to the running of one of these events.

In October this year, Eastern Angles put on Signal Fires in the Undercroft Theatre space and Alyson Tippings shared tips are about adapting to your conditions. Signals Fires was originally planned to take place on the green outside the Serpentine Shopping Centre with a capacity of 30 and a contingency plan to use the inside space. Making sure that the infrastructure was in place to accommodate for both versions of the event was crucial to making Signal Fires happen smoothly. This involves having all your usual paperwork and risk assessments in place and the additional risk assessments, insurance, and permissions required for a COVID safe live event. Having backup and continency plans for events during this uncertain time is not only a reassurance to those facilitating the event but also for audiences.

Things to consider when making COVID safe live work that came up in discussion included being aware that you may lose participants or performers during the process due to illnesses or isolation. You need to know how many people you need to go ahead with a project. Essentially this tip is to know when your limit it and when you would need to cancel, and being realistic about that. Make sure your participants and performers know what kind of situation they will be coming into and that they have been completely accommodated for. This includes making clear decisions early on about rehearsal spaces and potential accommodation for artists. During this time people want to know what they’re walking into without any surprises, so this tip is to be open, transparent, and decisive.

This year The Cresset are still going ahead with their annual Christmas Panto, which attracts a wide range of audience members. Penny Hansen from the Cresset spoke about ensuring that all audience members are safe by ensuring everyone is completely familiar with the systems in place to create secure events. Systems including temperature testing, mask wearing, track and trace, and social distancing.

Not only do we have to make sure that audiences are familiar with these systems and how they work, but we also have to ensure that they know and recognise that we’re practicing them. Mark Smedley, NIMAX Theatres Operations Manager, spoke about the importance of upkeep of venues during this time. One piece of litter left in the isle of the auditorium now signifies that the area hasn’t been cleaned, meaning it’s not hygienic, meaning it is not safe. This new association is something many audience members will now have and it is our responsibility to ensure them they are safe whilst in these spaces. Attention to detail has never been more important.

A final tip on mindset is that, although the momentum these past few months has been all stations go for many of us, this way of working cannot be sustained. Working yourself ragged because it’s something that brings you joy, although very relatable for many in the arts industry, is not the best practice by a long shot. Our final tip is to look after yourself just as well as you would look after your audiences. Without you, they wouldn’t be there in the first place!

To summarise, keeping your audiences and performers safe, comfortable, and informed is crucial. Make sure you have a contingency plan, and then a back up for that too! Look at what your local regulations arund indoor and outdoor events are like and be sure that you’ve met them. Be as decisive as you can be during the process, it will help in the long run. And finally, breathe.

Attendees:

Jumped Up Trustee - Mark Smedley

Jumped Up Theatre - Kate Hall

Metal Culture - Ruth Campbell

Pop Up - Sam Roddan

The Cresset - Penny Hansen

Cresset Trustee - Martin Chilcott

Peterborough City Council - Graham Casey

Youth Inspired - Prin