Why can cinemas open but not theatres?

[Bletchleyite]

From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ntries-given-green-light.205889/#post-4644018

Is this also why cinemas are okay to open, but theatres are not? I assume individual theatres, even with adapted seating, weren't quite as powerful at lobbying than the film industry (even though when it comes to films, they can and did put them online for people to watch at home).

Theatres can open, they just can't do live performances which negates the point. Their economics are also shakier than cinemas, needing to be fairly full to make money, whereas cinemas operate at well under 50% capacity most of the time, only really being busy for a premiere or Saturday night, which will have something to do with the rather different staffing requirements.

The issue with live performances is that the performers can't distance (unless it's a single-actor performance) and people projecting their voice (e.g. singing) seem to cause serious spread.

 

[scotrail158713]

people projecting their voice (e.g. singing) seem to cause serious spread

This is what I’d think is the issue for theatres that isn’t an issue for cinemas

 

[Bletchleyite]

This is what I’d think is the issue for theatres that isn’t an issue for cinemas

Also (forgot to mention above) cinema seating tends to be far less dense, recognising the lower level of occupancy they tend to run at. Theatre seating is usually painful if you're tall and broad, whereas cinema seating is normally very comfortable and spacious. And that means less spread risk.

 

[Scrotnig]

It’s not the seating....theatres can open if they show a pre recorded performance.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It’s not the seating....theatres can open if they show a pre recorded performance.

It sort of is - they will need a higher proportion of seating out of use than a cinema because it's more dense. This might affect economics.

 

[Scrotnig]

It sort of is - they will need a higher proportion of seating out of use than a cinema because it's more dense. This might affect economics.

That wouldn't make the government mandate them closed if recorded performances are ok.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That wouldn't make the government mandate them closed if recorded performances are ok.

It wouldn't, and indeed they haven't, they can reopen at the same time as cinemas. What it might do, though, is make opening uneconomic, which may as well be the same thing and may even be worse as a business continuity insurance claim may fail.

 

[Yew]

From an economic perspective, I'd imagine that a cinema can probably do low-density showings much more affordably than a live theater performance. Most of the times I've been to the cinema, it's half empty anyway.

 

[jon0844]

From https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ntries-given-green-light.205889/#post-4644018



Theatres can open, they just can't do live performances which negates the point. Their economics are also shakier than cinemas, needing to be fairly full to make money, whereas cinemas operate at well under 50% capacity most of the time, only really being busy for a premiere or Saturday night, which will have something to do with the rather different staffing requirements.

The issue with live performances is that the performers can't distance (unless it's a single-actor performance) and people projecting their voice (e.g. singing) seem to cause serious spread.

I get the risk to the performers, but maybe they could do like footballers did and isolate so they become one large and, presumably, safe bubble?

You could also close off rows as necessary.

Clearly theatre performances with tiny audiences are not going to have the atmosphere for either the audience or the performers, and it's true that a cinema can pretty much be run with one member of staff (as it seems our local Odeon is at quiet times - literally selling tickets/snacks from one place and then 'sort of' checking tickets before a screening (in practice, anyone can walk in if they so wish).

 

[Ian Cunningham]

I get the risk to the performers, but maybe they could do like footballers did and isolate so they become one large and, presumably, safe bubble?

This doesn't really work with theatre - A typical West End company of 100+ couldn't stay in isolation for months at a time. Most cast and crew will use need to use public transport to get to the theatre anyway

You could also close off rows as necessary.

With 2m spacing you only get every 3rd row in use - with sideways spacing you are down to 15-20% for most auditoria. Even at 1m spacing you are still only around 25-30% which is completely unviable financially

Clearly theatre performances with tiny audiences are not going to have the atmosphere for either the audience or the performers, and it's true that a cinema can pretty much be run with one member of staff (as it seems our local Odeon is at quiet times - literally selling tickets/snacks from one place and then 'sort of' checking tickets before a screening (in practice, anyone can walk in if they so wish).

This is a big advantage for cinema over theatre as their staffing requirements are far lower eg modern digital cinema projection can be almost fully automated.

 

[DDB]

Theatres are VERY cramped backstage there is no way you can socially distance in the wings or dressing rooms. How do you socially distance if you are a dresser or a sound tech fixing microphones to the entire cast's faces and fixing issues with them during the show?

Most shows involve some sort of physical interaction between cast members.

Also theatre has loads of up front costs for rehearsals and set construction and if anyone in the cast or crew goes down with it you would lose a fortnight's performances as everyone or a significant proportion isolates.

I don't think people are currently doing much filming. The films that cinemas will be showing have already been filmed and so are sunk costs rather than needing investment now.

 

[cuccir]

A cinema can also offset reduced capacity with more showtimes, in a way that the theatre can't.

 

[MikeWM]

The cinema business model nowadays is almost entirely dependent on selling overpriced food and drink to the punters. They get very little return on the actual ticket price. So they need a certain critical mass of customers passing through in order to buy the overpriced food and drink, but that's well below 100% auditorium capacity.

 

[_toommm_]

Backstage at a theatre is very difficult to social distance too. In order not to miss your cue, you have to gather in the wings a minute or two before, and if it’s a very chorus-based show like Les Misérables, it would get messy soon. Not only that, but unless you’re very famous in the musical theatre world, you’ll be sharing a dressing room too.

 

[nlogax]

I've not been a regular theatre-goer in recent years, however I've watched two or three NT productions during lockdown and have donated to NT as part of this. It reminded me that seeing a play is a great way to spend an evening and is something I'll start doing once theatres reopen. Theatres will need all our help to survive.

Looking forward to cinemas reopening too, but sitting in a social distance-configured setup will be barely any different to normal times when I'd go for a Sunday morning screening and seats were two thirds empty.

 

[BJames]

Backstage at a theatre is very difficult to social distance too. In order not to miss your cue, you have to gather in the wings a minute or two before, and if it’s a very chorus-based show like Les Misérables, it would get messy soon. Not only that, but unless you’re very famous in the musical theatre world, you’ll be sharing a dressing room too.

It's impossible. Exactly why Cameron Mackintosh said he's not having his shows (including Les Mis) back until social distancing has well and truly ended.

Looking forward to cinemas reopening too, but sitting in a social distance-configured setup will be barely any different to normal times when I'd go for a Sunday morning screening and seats were two thirds empty.

I used to do the same. Never really liked crowded screenings to be honest.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I used to do the same. Never really liked crowded screenings to be honest.

Same. When I look at the seat map, if I can't have at least one spare seat between me and others and I can't sit on the end then I'll pick a different film/screening. So this will actually make no difference to my experience.

 

[MikeWM]

I used to do the same. Never really liked crowded screenings to be honest.

Ditto. Fortunately I like to sit very near the front, and most people don't, so except in the busiest screenings I was already 'practicing social distancing', though I didn't know it was called that back then One of the benefits of the fact most cinemas now do allocated seating is that you could see in advance how busy a screening is likely to be, and plan accordingly.

I note that the two 'big' releases that were scheduled for the end of July - Mulan and Tenet - have just been moved to August, however. It's going to leave cinemas without anything substantially new to show for many weeks, which isn't very good news for them.

 

[_toommm_]

It's impossible. Exactly why Cameron Mackintosh said he's not having his shows (including Les Mis) back until social distancing has well and truly ended.


I used to do the same. Never really liked crowded screenings to be honest.

It’s a real shame for me as I went to the West End every month up until February.