Paradoxes in theatres. The reopening of the rooms is welcomed with joy. But the new health restrictions, which limit theaters to receiving at best 50% of their spectators, make it currently more profitable to cancel a show than to play it. Small calculations with Excel file columns, to illustrate.
The Hardings, the play by Alexia Bürger created in 2018 which approaches the tragedy of Lac-Mégantic with the delicacy of a lacemaker, must be performed at the Espace le vrai monde? next February 23. The general and artistic director, Mélissa Pietracupa, opened her accounting notebooks at Duty to illustrate the cul-de-sac in which it finds itself. Its room has 528 seats; it can sell 264 tickets. On Wednesday, 153 were sold.
“With the aid measure for the ticket office of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec (CALQ), currently, if I cancel The Hardings, I make $2140, she explains, supporting calculations. If I keep the show, I lose $3600. The director of the space affiliated with Collège Ahuntsic cannot believe having to choose to make a deficit in order to keep her link with the public alive. And with the artists.
Since the start of the pandemic, this CALQ aid measure has reimbursed tickets that theaters cannot sell due to distancing measures and health instructions. The measure pays for unsold tickets, in other words. The problem is the new requirement to have only half-rooms, which changes the calculations. The measure, if there are 50% of spectators, reimburses the theater of Mme Pietracupa $2291. If she had programmed the same show between 1er April and August 31, 2021 (respecting the 1.5 meter distancing rule), she could then have obtained $5,943.
Deviation from reality
The director continues her demonstration: for Zoe, by Olivier Choinière, scheduled for March 10 and 11, she will lose $746, considering the costs generated by the show. If she cancels it, she will make $6057. In both cases, the artists’ fees will be honored in the same way. “The CALQ must adjust its measure,” says Mme Pietracupa.
Is the CALQ aware of the problem? Can we expect changes? “As since the measure was put in place, we will make changes, if necessary, in order to take into account the evolution of the situation and the announcement of yesterday”, answered the director of communications of the grantor, Honorine Youmbissi.
Alexandre Provencher, from the Desjardins theater in LaSalle, confirms that for his part also that “it is more profitable to cancel” certain shows. The general and artistic director wonders, with the production, if he should cancel New, drowned Orange (Mani Soleymanlou), scheduled for February 19. “This is our third postponement of this show. Each time, my spectators wither. I went from 400 tickets sold to 300.” Its room can normally accommodate 800 spectators. “There, I have to adjust my room to meet the half-gauge. I will still lose tickets. Do I maintain, or do I cancel? »
” What do I do ? adds Mr. Provencher. I have another show for which I only have 48 tickets sold, where I stand to lose $5,000. And these shows-there are circus, dance, theater, storytelling: these promising, important disciplines, which say something, but which are harder to sell. What do I do ? I cancel shows so as not to be further caught in a deficit, or am I helping the artists and losing money? »
However, “the support measure for the ticket office of the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec came, during the first wave, to respond to an emergency situation”, writes Mr.me Pietracupa in an open letter sent to Duty, which she also shares on Facebook. “This measure was well suited, allowing broadcasters to honor the fees of postponed and canceled productions. It aimed to support artists who were already programmed. »
Support the same artists
The programming for the 2021-2022 season being made up of postponements of shows canceled (often two or three times) in 2020, the measure often concerns the same show team. Overall, it supports a minority of artists, and very rarely supports designers and technicians. “ We are told that the measure is there to support the artists, continues Mme Pietracupa aloud. It’s true ; but it supports the same artists from the beginning. Those that were scheduled and that were postponed, sometimes up to four times. »
The duty was able to confirm this with three other multidisciplinary presenters who have experienced cases of this type, where assistance was granted to artists with an already well-established career. “At first it made sense. Two years later, I don’t know. Who are we really supporting with this? continues the director of the Space the real world?. Is it up to us, broadcasters, to do this work of distribution to artists? And how to ensure that it is done fairly, with all artists and all disciplines? »
It is right that the fees be paid for the shows that were planned, even if they did not take place, believe the broadcasters consulted. The problem is elsewhere: how to support shows and artists that were not already scheduled in 2020? These teams “find themselves completely abandoned by this measure, writes Ms.me Pietracupa, without counting [qu’elle exige] immense logistics for small and large theatres. It monopolizes the teams and puts the mental health of the employees at risk. In addition, the measure does not cover all of the expenses incurred by the presentation of a show and absurdly contributes to the deterioration of the financial health of certain places”, concludes the broadcaster, who hopes to find the meaning of her profession and a greater solidarity for the whole community.