The Shows Will Go On
2021 is supposed to have been the year that kicks off the “new normal”, but we find ourselves still grappling with COVID-19 changing much of what we know. Much of the theatre industry has since embraced the digital space after experimenting with it last year. In charting the activity of Singapore Theatre in 2021, we have seen:
- 44 digital theatrical performances (these includes performances that were performed live online or pre-recorded for streaming/video on demand)
- 87 live theatrical performances
- 13 hybrid theatrical performances (simultaneously performed live and online)
- 7 cancelled live theatrical performances
- 7 postponed live theatrical performances (that were staged later on the year)
For the fifth year running, Centre 42 is documenting Singapore Theatre’s year in a timeline. As with the previous iterations, we rely on the public to help us build a comprehensive picture of the year. If you want to suggest shows to add to the timeline, you can email us at info@centre42.sg.
You can scroll through the timeline below. If you’re experiencing problems viewing the timeline, you may download the PDF here.
This year, the spine of the timeline reflects theatrical performances that were presented in a multitude of ways: live in theatre, pre-recorded, in the digital space, and at times in a hybrid of modes. You’ll be able to track the different phases of COVID-19-related restrictions and their impact on our theatre scene.
We mark the disruptive periods brought on by the emergence of the Delta variant – Phase 2, Phase 2 (HA), Phase 3 (HA), Phase 2 (HA ver2) – in grey, where pre-event testings (PET) were introduced, and live, unmasked performances were either severely restricted or not allowed. Performances that were originally scheduled then were either cancelled or postponed, and restaged at a later part of this year.
With COVID-19 becoming endemic, Singapore entered the ‘Stabilisation Phase’ in the last quarter of the year. Observe how Singapore’s Theatre picks back up as we try to live and work through it – facing the threats of being shut down or disrupted should cast or production members face health risk warnings, quarantine orders or worse, contract the virus.
It has been a suspenseful 21 months since the fateful Circuit Breaker happened in April 2020, and we’re truly hoping for a smooth recovery. With this timeline, Singapore Theatre in 2021 charts the cautious optimism of the theatre industry and the resilience of our theatre practitioners. As they say, the shows will go on!
Singapore Theatre in 2021 is released in conjunction with Year in Review 2021: Jeng Jeng Jeng, jointly presented by Centre 42, ArtsEquator and Channel NewsTheatre, in collaboration with Artwave Studio.
