Digitally-Delivered Mexican Theatre during the COVID-19 Pandemic of 2020

Covid 19’s appearance in March 2020 closed theatre stages all over the world, including those in Mexico. Countless projects shut down, some after long runs, while others were forced to close after months of rehearsals or precious few performances. Only time will tell which projects will revive. However, no project will be the same, and many will simply never see the stage. August 27 marked the re-opening of theaters in Mexico, albeit with severely limited numbers of spectators, and with strict sanitary rules for spectators, actors, and all involved in the return of in-person theatre. One notable early in-person performance venue consisted of a large stage where spectators witnessed plays (as well as concerts and other events) from their cars, in a sort of drive-in arrangement.

Despite the impossibility of in-person theatre performances during the lockdown, Covid could not stop the creative juices of Mexico’s teatreros. Some turned to digital delivery of performance art, although this new genre has generated some controversy. Purists say that performing a play without spectators present or seeing a play without being present creates something other than theatre. Others disagree. In a podcast interview, Alberto Lomnitz, who co-authored the “Manifiesto por un Arte Vivo Digital” with María Sánchez Portillo, stated that they purposely avoided the words teatro and teatral. Instead, their manifesto emphasized new possibilities.¹ “Las creadoras y creadores de la práctica escénica encontramos en el Arte Vivo Digital un medio más para el desarrollo y ejercicio de nuestra creatividad . . . se abren nuevas posibilidades de interactuar de manera íntima con las y los espectadores . . . somos conscientes de que en la práctica artística todo es efervescencia, mutación, adaptabilidad, vida . . . Queremos construir una puerta de entrada a mundos posibles.”² This manifesto emphasizes live digital events, which I will call theatre, despite the controversy. I concede that watching one of these events through a computer screen is clearly different from seeing a play in a theater, but the very best of each seems much superior to the mediocre or poor of the other.

Before I survey some of the most compelling digital performances I have seen from June through December 2020, I offer some general observations about the logistics and pros and cons of the genre from my perspective as a spectator. First of all, since theaters were closed or severely limited and international travel was ill-advised during the pandemic, virtual theatre offered a lifeline to those who seek continued access to Mexico’s theatre world, and without the hassles and expenses of travel—no hotel costs, no ubers or subway rides, no air or noise pollution, no security concerns, etc. How miraculous to see live performances by world-class actors directed by some of the cream of Mexico’s directing cream, and from the comfort of my own home! Depending on where spectators live or stay in Mexico City, and the location of the desired theaters, to see in-person plays they can easily spend hours in transportation alone. Clearly, geography limits the reach of traditional plays. By contrast, virtual theatre extends world-wide, internet (and credit card companies) willing. In addition, every spectator has access to the best seat in the house (both in terms of what they see and, literally, in the most comfortable chair in their own house, with all the leg room they please). Furthermore, depending on the delivery platform, spectators can have a more intimate and interactive relationship with virtual plays than with in-person plays.

And now for some cons. First of all, virtual spectators miss out on the communitarian experience of traditional theatre. Laughing, gasping, and crying alone, rather than with fellow spectators in the same room, packs less of an impact. Part of the joy of good children’s theatre is to watch the unfiltered reactions of children. Talking with fellow spectators before and after a performance enriches the sense of community, as does overhearing comments during plays. In virtual performances, spectators can sometimes use the chat function in Zoom or Facebook Live...