MUSE:
The National Theatre’s YouTube release of ‘One Man Two Guvnors’ which was performed live in 2011 and recorded for the NTLive database. It is the first filmed production that the National is making available, for free, for a week, during the COVID-19 ‘lockdown’. The filmed show was first released as a live stream on Thursday April 2nd at 2:30pm, a thoughtful attempt for audiences to image they’re attending a matinee. It’s been reported that over 200,000 people watched the live stream, and over two million views accumulated in the four days that it’s been YouTube.
MUSING:
As a theater lover and maker myself, I am overjoyed that the National is making their content available and that so many people are choosing to engage with it. Theater is not only an excellent form of entertainment (which most of us need while stuck inside) but it’s also an important teaching tool. It brings to life past eras and historical events, presents universal dilemmas and possible outcomes within the safety of an imagined world, and can expand one’s understanding of the written and spoken language. Digital theatre (in terms of filmed documentation of a staged performance) has been used for many years to make theater more accessible. The National in particular using their archive to screen their London based shows all around the world (NTLive) and in schools. Though this is as well and good, it does bring to mind some questions about live theater vs digital theater, and theater for all vs theater for those who are ‘able’.
One of my favorite parts of going to the theater is becoming a fly on the wall to a different world than my own. Even when I’m in a distant balcony seat, theater has successfully transported me out of the venue and into the imagined world. Like a fly on the wall I can look wherever I please, paying attention to reactions and movements of the the characters I deem worth paying attention to in each given moment. It gives me agency in what’s happening. Digital documentation of live show, however, often reflect film format using multiple camera angles and editing, which in turn takes away the audiences agency to look where they want. I understand this is done more many reasons, and have experienced how a single wide shot of the stage area would ultimate result in a one dimensional and often low quality view of the production. Plus there are benefits to the cinematic style: one can see up close the dynamic facial expressions of the actors, a key component of performance that is usually lost to those sitting in the back rows. Even with a close up of an actor’s face, it is more likely an audience member is not engrossed by the performance, but rather distracted (and therefore pulled out of the world of the show) by everything else around them. The screen in front of them has no means of holding their attention, whilst the darkness of a theater leaves little means of pulling your attention away (if you’re being a good audience member and not pulling your phone out and whispering to your friend). There is a lot more to say about the differences between the live performance and it’s digital version in terms of the audiences experience, and I look forward to reflecting on it further as I watch more of the National Theatre’s digital releases.
As for accessibility, I am thrilled that we have the YouTube views as a reminder of the high numbers of people who want to watch theater. But it is also a sad reminder to how many of those people are not able to engage with it in the normal format. Though there are multiple programs and discounts schemes in place to help people buy discount tickets, the prices of attending theater keeps millions from participating. Not just in the actual ticket prices, but also in the transportation and accommodation needed to travel to the physical theater. The issue does not only pertain to financial hurtles, but also in a lack of accessibility and consideration for those unable to physically engage with the show, as many productions don’t take into mind the visibly or hearing impaired. I’m happy to see that the YouTube release of ‘One Man Two Guvnors’ includes subtitles and therefore has made it possible for many people to watch, who otherwise would have had to attend one of the rare performances with a sing language interpreter or displayed captions. I just hope that making the performance available in this manner wont prevent future production team from considering how to make the live shows as accessible as possible just because there is a version online. As I mentioned before, I feel the two experiences are very different and both should be accessible to all who wish to take part.