Getting recreation and leisure up and running again.

I’ve certainly seen that presented as an idea, although they tend to be the pricier seats so would still involve a financial hit. More to the point, there is also the risk to fellow performers. You can imagine a big ensemble show having to shut down for several weeks to quarantine all the performers, which is a further financial hit after you’ve spent all the money to recast, re-rehearse and relaunch a show. Not to mention the impact on perceived public safety and future ticket sales when the papers make big headlines out of theatre owners and producers putting audiences at risk (even if they’re not really)

Oh sorry no, the reading wasn’t open to the public. I articulated myself badly. I just meant that the theatre industry is using Zoom in creative ways, and listed various public and private ways that Zoom has been used. In response to the “I’ve not heard of something so I assume it doesn’t exist” line of argument that’s popped up a few times lately. I’m sure there’s loads of creative alternatives being used in ways that I’m not aware of.

Most of that is ill-informed unfortunately, but I can't just ignore it. 

It was up to every state (Bundesland) to provide help as they saw fit. Berlin (which is a small Bundesland) was the only one to actually provide help to freelancers as you mentioned without attaching a laundry list of conditions. I know this very well, because I was affected, too. And it wasn't clarified early on that the money providing support for freelancers was ONLY meant for office rents and such, but not for private rent and general costs of living and thus completely useless for a great deal of freelancers. At this time, many had already applied for support though and will have to pay it back, no matter how broke they are. Yes, people were expected to appy for social security instead, the godawful massively over-bureaucratic system called Hartz IV, which is comparable to your universal credit and which can take months to pay out if they don't decide you have too many savings you need to use up first. It definitely wasn't any kind of unbureaucratic swift help that would tide thosuands of freelancers over, who were stuck with zero income from one day to the next. My state at least finally relented to some extend and said that freelancers who had applied for the offered 9000 Euro for three months could use 2000 Euro of that for private rent and similar expenses. Other states did NOTHING. 

And yes, Berlin is fabulous at spending other people's money. I don't know if you are aware of the "Länderfinanzausgleich" which means that the better-off states have to pay money to the broke states for a better overall balance. Which is fair when states go through a crisis due to no fault of their own. My state NRW gave a lot of money in the 50s and 60s, when we were still rich on the coal and steel industries. We gave a lot to Bavaria at the time, which was poor and agricultural at the time. Now Bavaria is a rich powerhouse economy and gives to NRW which has become a poorhouse since coal and steel died. Recipients are supposed to spend the benefits wisely though and Berlin has only ever taken and thrown the money around for ludicrous stuff like the world-famous "new" airport, rebuilding the Prussian castle, huge memorials and other things. So the money they've thrown at the freelancers now comes from very empty coffers that are filled with money tax payers in richer states like Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg provide. At least this time it was for a better cause than sinking another few billions into the airport or other megalomaniac incompetent projects. 

As for my "Daily Mail-esque diatribe", clearly we don't see eye to eye in regard of the Regietheater nonsense in Germany that's not giving us a "great reputation" but has made us the laughing stock of culture worldwide and has caused the masses to abandon live theatre for decades. It's one thing if you see some celebrated heady Regietheater nonsense as a short run at the Barbican or similiar places amid a vast choice of other things, or if you can't visit the local theatres and have to travel across the borders just to enjoy something that's decently staged and is pretty to look at. It's one thing if you appreciate the nonsense as part of a small elitist circle and quite another if the general public hasn't given a toss for live theatre for decades, because they've been so thoroughly alienated from it. So spare me what is clearly a very skewed look from outside.

As for Starlight Express - so what? It's on-going success only shows that it's still the only thing (apart from overpriced Lion King in Hamburg) where families can take kids to and go for simple enjoyment, just BECAUSE the Stadttheater don't provide it. Do I mock the UK for its panto season or its appetite for jukebox musicals and tribute shows? No, they're all part of live entertainment. 

And I'm out of this now, you are welcome to message me privately if you want some further explanations on a system you clearly only half understand, but I don't think anyone else here is very much interested in the situation of another country. 

Your German friends and you yourself are very probably part of that elitist bubble worshipping Regietheater nonsense and thinking it enjoys some worldwide wonderful reputation. Which is fine - within your bubble. I wouldn't disagree, I know that there are people who like that kind of thing in other countries as well. 

But please acknowledge that a little elitist circle, which is now once again being pampered by the government, has nothing whatsoever to do with the general unwashed masses (in which I include myself) who have long since turned their back on all of that and really don't see why we need to keep this system, which looks down with disdain on us for just wanting entertainment (your comment on Starlight Express being a point in case) with our taxes. At least in London or New York I can CHOOSE whether I want to see some deconstructed opera with modern-day costumes and ridiculous abstract stage sets or a "nice" staging with gorgeous sets and costumes. Having watched several streams by the Met Opera in the last months I have once more become painfully aware of how this kind of thing is being denied to German theatre-goers, no matter which town and opera house you'd turn to, because Regietheater is such an all-encompassing thing here. And THAT's my beef. Not that it exists, but that there's so little room given to anything else. 

I have donated a good hundred pounds to various charities in the UK over the last few months to try and support them a little, but the pampered high-minded German Stadttheater, which I'm already financing with my taxes against my will, hasn't seen and won't see a penny from me. 

What have freelance actors or technical staff been able to claim. Does it depend on what they earned up to now. The soap stars were put on some sort of "furloughed wage" their contracts probably mutually frozen but apart from voice work very few other actors would be working. Also a lot of the soap stars would be comfortably off, certainly not all as some are in their first big role. But a lot are long serving or established performers and at least have the profile to do some off shoots.

But your jobbing actor, technical staff are likely really struggling. I've helped friends put on gigs in B'ham and the soundman and a few soundwomen were on a set £90 per night. I don't know if they had other jobs, a few were involved in music but income has been gone for nearly 4 months now.

I hope with the indoor production pilots, they consider that sort of guidance but I wouldn't be surprised if they test out all sorts. I'm sure many ideas have been suggested or looked at.

Not to mention given how much has already been spent on it and work has already started, it'd be unwise to scrap it entirely.



I'm surprised the snooker isn't going behind closed doors. Spectators make very little different to snooker unlike other sports.

Had my first go at eating out at lunchtime for a while today. We were meeting a friend and supposed to be out for a walk. It rained so we changed our plans. The place we went to had made great efforts to be safe but was barely a third full and at reduced capacity due to less tables. At increased cost with extra staff and reduced capacity I wonder how many more eating places will survive. Pret have announced more closures due to less customers.Lets hope things get more back to normal for the hospitality industry soon. It's not easy though and with more working from home which is likely to continue places that relied on workers buying their lunch will struggle.

I wonder if we may studio audiences for TV shows return in some capacity in the Autumn. Something like Michael McIntyre's Big Show could be the test ground for theatres since that records at the London Palladium or if they didn't want to risk it, they could opt for a smaller show.