I’ve used the words myself a lot, but it’s actually a misconception that theatres were “shut down” during the pandemic.
The alternative theatre reopens its doors this week – its first season of in-person, live work since COVID-19 arrived – witha new work created by artistic director Marjorie Chan with composer Njo Kong Kie. The show officially opens the renamed and renovated Bob Nasmith Innovation Backspace. The ultraintimate venue is now suitable for dance as well as theatre, with retractable, flexible seating that allows for different configurations and can pull back to make almost the entire space into a stage. Filming and streaming equipment is also being installed, with more tech to come that will make it possible for artists to experiment with augmented reality and virtual reality.
The large season is perhaps heavier on productions and co-productions than future ones will be, and that is possible in part because of a