COVID-19: Masks, mobile control and plenty of legroom – what theater looks like during a pandemic | Ents & Arts News

Being able to go to the theater on a whim has probably been what I’ve missed the most (aside from hugging family friends of course – a given) over the past 14 months or so.

Not only because it has been heartbreaking to watch the industry collapse and see so many people lose their livelihoods, but also because stage performance is simply my favorite type of entertainment. It’s raw, it’s compelling, and it’s fun.

I was therefore delighted to be invited to the press evening of Cruise – which is a brand new solo show performed at the Duchess Theater in London.

The experience was relatively new, but just as incredibly familiar. I used to book a show on my phone and go to the box office to pick up my tickets.

Now, however, the tickets were sent straight to my phone and 24 hours before I even thought to leave the house I was forced to “check in” and confirm that I was not isolating or showing up. no symptoms of COVID-19.

I want to be early for things, so leaving my apartment a little later than expected at night was quite stressful.

I haven’t used public transportation for quite some time (other than the odd bus ride here and there) so every eventuality went through my brain. Is there traffic on the way to the station? Is the metro too busy? Does it still work after 10 pm?

After 45 nervous minutes on the tube, I got off at Covent Garden – and it was a real pleasure to see it not only relatively busy, but with people outside and inside, laughing and having fun in the surrounding pubs and restaurants.

I’m used to it by now but everyone was in line outside the theater, face-masked and socially distant, ready to get their temperature taken and be left inside the room.