The rise in cases of COVID-19 has forced the cancellation of several shows in recent days, in addition to complicating certain filming. To the chagrin of a cultural industry which believed, barely a week ago, to have finally pulled its head out of the water after two years of hell.
“It’s been a total mess for a few days,” summarizes pessimistically Karl-Emmanuel Picard, owner of L’Anti, in Quebec.
In this bar-show, the phone has not been ringing since last week, while several ticket holders are trying to get reimbursed because they caught COVID-19. Also manager of artists, Mr. Picard already has his hands full with his foals who recently contracted the virus.
One of the groups he represents was called last week as reinforcements to replace next weekend musicians who had just been declared positive. However, the group’s drummer was subsequently infected. Then, a few days later, it was the turn of his replacement to learn that he has COVID-19.
“Finally, it’s the guitarist who will play the percussion. He’s going to have a pedal on his foot so he can do the percussion while he’s playing the guitar. We have no choice but to be creative, ”says Karl-Emmanuel Picard, who would not be surprised if theaters are forced to close their doors in the coming weeks because the increase in cases is so dizzying.
living with the virus
And for good reason, several shows have been postponed or even canceled in the last few days due to the resumption of the pandemic. The four performances scheduled for this week of the play The injury, at Espace libre, were canceled due to cases of COVID-19 in the team. Ditto for the last three dates of the show At the top of the mountainpresented at the Jean-Duceppe theater.
La Licorne also had to cancel some performances of the two plays that are playing this month. “You have to believe that the virus likes reminders,” quips the administrative director of the theater, Danièle Drolet, exhausted by a pandemic that never ends.
More seriously, she is hopeful that the arrival of good weather will put an end to the increase in cases, as was the case last year during the third wave. But until then, M.me Drolet does not believe it is necessary to close everything. “I see it as a test for living with the virus”, second Catherine Voyer-Léger, director general of the Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT). That said, the latter sees in the current increase in cases proof that government aid must be maintained for the time being, even if the rooms can reopen at full speed.
” It’s essential ! Otherwise, the creators are not going to want to take the risk of making big plays with a lot of people on stage, as there is more risk that there will be a case of COVID in the troupe and that everything will be canceled”, underlines Mme Voyer-Léger, who has learned in the last few days that the COVID-19 has invited itself on at least a dozen productions.
Unprecedented situation
The rules are particularly strict currently for comedians who catch COVID-19 before they can return to the boards. Not only do they have to wait at least five days and test negative before they can start rehearsing with their team again, but to play without a mask they are then forced to test negative on the sixth and then the seventh day after the start of their symptoms.
The theater community is divided on this measure, reports the CQT. On the one hand, some theaters want relief to get back on stage as quickly as possible in the event of an outbreak. On the other hand, rooms find this additional protection reassuring in the current context.
Essential predictability
It’s no wonder the industry doesn’t know which foot to take in the face of rising contamination. Indeed, the performance halls were always closed when a pandemic outbreak occurred. They had never before had to manage outbreaks among the teams and the public. “It comes at a very bad time for us. Our big challenge at the moment is to convince the public to start buying tickets in advance again, because this predictability is essential for putting on shows. It is certain that all these cancellations at the moment will not help us, ”laments Catherine Voyer-Léger.
The television industry is also being hit hard by COVID-19. Several cases have been detected on trays. The production box Sphère Média confirmed that one of its shoots was interrupted for three days, but did not want to specify which program it was.
The Union des artistes says it is currently working to document the situation.