Technological revolutions tend to be the catalyst for artistic revolutions
For Britain’s theatres it has been a case of history repeating itself. The playhouses were often closed in the 16th and 17th centuries as a result of the bubonic plague and last year they closed because the prime minister, in his guise as master of the revels, decided that Covid-19 meant watching a play in the flesh was too risky.
Like other sectors of the economy, the theatre adapted, with people able to watch performances on TV or on their mobiles. No question, though, it has been a tough period, as it was in 1593, when the theatres in London were closed for 14 months.
