The explosion of digital productions of all sizes has shown great creativity and made hit shows more accessible – but is it all financially sustainable?

By Arifa Akbar

“There is compelling evidence to suggest that the archive arm of online theatre – films of the plays – has secured an expanded place in the industry. The National Theatre’s NT at Home scheme was one of the biggest virtual successes of lockdown; it screened 17 productions and garnered more than 15m views from audiences in more than 170 countries. Here was entertainment for the masses, creating the same event-theatre moment as a live show but on a global scale, and free of charge (with an option to donate). It brought some redress to an art form often deemed too expensive and stuck in an elite bubble. The filmed version of Hamilton had a similar effect. For the price of a subscription to the Disney+ channel, we could watch a musical whose ticket prices would have been beyond the reach of many in its live incarnation.”