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| 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only | |
| Posted by: young-walsingham 04:01 am EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| "Drop off in digital performances sparks fears better access provided by online shows may be lost" | |
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| re: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only | |
| Posted by: ryhog 02:24 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only - young-walsingham 04:01 am EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| That's no surprise. For those of us who treasure live theatre for its uniqueness, streamed performances are both unsatisfying and unhealthy. And for those who both treasure live performance and make a living from it, it's no surprise that the crisis solution that became temporarily popular is waning. Streamed live performances are a compromise and compromises are by definition mediocre. Better access means more accessible live theatre, not streaming. We don't have to compromise in filmmaking either: it's always better when it is not trying to fit a square peg in a round hole (or maybe more aptly, v/v). | |
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| I have tix for the Young Vic's HAMLET live stream in a couple of weeks | |
| Last Edit: MockingbirdGirl 05:08 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| Posted by: MockingbirdGirl 05:08 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: re: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only - ryhog 02:24 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| While streaming lacks the immediacy of the live-and-in-person theatrical experience, I'm damned glad I have the opportunity to see a show I would otherwise never have gotten to. | |
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| 50% feels about right. | |
| Posted by: ShowGoer 04:03 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: re: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only - ryhog 02:24 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| Here in the US it’s interesting to see which regionals are doing what. Many of them seem to be doing a hybrid model of live-streaming every performance even as they continue live shows (Rattlestick), others are playing out their show’s runs and then making a filmed performance available almost immediately after (San Francisco Playhouse) - which seems to be the most practical and cost-effective, as well as the one which most distinguished between streaming and the specialness of live theater. Others are doing the first few shows of their seaso man digitally and planning to resume live performances in early 2022, and of course still others are doing no streaming at all. There’s no question live performance trumps any film or stream of it (due respect to dramedy) but 50% is still more than we had before the pandemic, and I continue to be certain that the streaming rate won’t return to pre-pandemic levels. I’d bet my life those Diana producers, for instance, will be highly glad they made that Netflix deal. And I think there will continue to be more experimenting like that, for audience access, for preserving productions, and for thinking outside the box for additional revenue streams, whether while the production is running or for in the future after it closes. |
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| re: 50% feels about right. | |
| Posted by: ryhog 07:13 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: 50% feels about right. - ShowGoer 04:03 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| I have no idea where things will end up but let me just point out that the pandemic is not over (and there are still plenty of people who won't go near a theatre, even in NYC) so we are not in a position to predict yet based on what we see now. Let me also point out that some/many of the streaming things going on now are likely dependent on union concessions that will not survive the end of the pandemic. Finally, please don't bet your life on those Diana producers. What they did will be taught in school as a monumental fuck up. | |
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| re: Diana | |
| Posted by: ShowGoer 11:09 am EDT 10/12/21 | |
| In reply to: re: 50% feels about right. - ryhog 07:13 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| I want to be clear, I wasn't and am not in any way praising or endorsing the Diana producers for anything, whether as a model of producing acumen or as a stellar example of streaming theatre. But, unless you're referring to producing the show in the first place, or the idea of a Princess Di musical to begin with, I HIGHLY disagree with you that "what they did will be taught in school as a monumental fuck up." They had an $18,000,000 show in previews at the time of the shutdown that had next-to-zero advance sales even PRE-pandemic, and was being speculated as one of the fastest closings of that season over a year and a half ago. Then they were sitting on the sets, orchestrations, costumes, etc. with no guarantee whether Broadway would come back in 6 months or 2 years, and with a company that had already been in previews and might soon be forgetting the show. Lastly they were lucky enough to have a producer known mostly for film experience (Frank Marshall) and a streaming service already invested in and doing well with The Crown and other royal-family content. Had the pandemic not come along the show would have opened, run for a few months, and (maybe?) gotten a little bit of that 18 mill back from (maybe?) a tour and other post-NY productions. But as it now stands, while the show will likely have the same, if not an even grislier, fate, they've at least already made some sort of partial return on their investment from the Netflix sale, which has only enhanced the show's notoriety, and by being on that service in perpetuity, could THEORETICALLY keep the show in people's minds and theoretically spur a few more future productions than a 6-week Broadway flop with no movie otherwise would have. Will this be a model for the future? (Debuting a show on TV before it opens on Broadway.) Hardly. Will it prove successful here? Absolutely not. But, given the response to the show on TV, would the show have been received differently if it wasn't filmed, would it have fared differently at the box office, and was this a bad idea for them to take advantage of the opportunity? No, no, and no, and once again I'm surprised at anyone shortsighted enough to think so. And, regarding our ongoing conversation.... per the Hollywood Reporter: "Marshall says the experience of filming Diana has convinced him to pursue a similar course with future theatrical productions, even if or when COVID is no longer a consideration." |
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| re: Diana | |
| Posted by: ryhog 03:09 pm EDT 10/12/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Diana - ShowGoer 11:09 am EDT 10/12/21 | |
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| I didn't think you were endorsing what they did, but we fundamentally disagree about whether what they did was a rational thing to do under the circumstances. I think it is a net loss and I also think you are probably assuming more cash flow from Netflix than I think is the case. As to Marshall, I think he is the anti-christ as it relates to theatre, but that's another rant. :-) | |
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| We will always disagree on this. | |
| Posted by: dramedy 03:18 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: re: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only - ryhog 02:24 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| I just hate audiences and cramped theater seats. I’ve really enjoyed a lot of taped shows at home. No sound issues, no one talking or crunching slurping food. I can’t stand when people whistle at actors on stage or scream loudly at the end. It’s nice to spend 90 minutes on a one act and not have the whole night gone because of travel, waiting for curtain and travel home. But I admit that your position on this subject is the super majority. |
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| yes, which is fine | |
| Posted by: ryhog 03:42 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: We will always disagree on this. - dramedy 03:18 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| fwiw I am not sure I have a super majority behind me :-) A majority, yes. A supermajority of the people who matter (i.e., those who would finance the enterprise), yes. | |
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| It’s definitely dropped in US. | |
| Posted by: dramedy 12:35 pm EDT 10/11/21 | |
| In reply to: 50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only - young-walsingham 04:01 am EDT 10/11/21 | |
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| I think one problem is the price point. Streaming really can’t charge more than $30 for household. In person can charge close to $100 per ticket in many local theaters. Even though theoretically you can reach more streaming, I think it caps out at a few hundred—at least for live performances. Maybe taped get more but probably not more than a thousand. Thats a full house of two or three performances compared to 30-40 most theaters run a show. And there are costs for streaming. | |
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