See Live Theatre Live

David Jays in his Guardian Theatre Blog this afternoon discusses the upcoming move to film and sell recordings of live theatre performances online.  


His main worry is that the fundamental essence of live theatre, that it is live, will be lost in the digital age's need to preserve art.  


I think this worry is something that can be lessened.  


Yes, the essence of the live act will be lost but I don't think this move will create a dramatic decrease in attendance at the theatre.  


To compare, a music festival or gig for some may seem like hell on earth.  Some of the crowd crushes at this year's Glastonbury festival were pretty brutal for example.  Yet, each festival and gig-goer attends for the thrill of being in a crowd of adoring fans witnessing their idols performing with eagerly anticipated gusto.  

Unfortunately, at large gigs and a shedload of the festivals, you can't escape the fact that for most of the event, you'll be watching it on a screen, exactly like the thousands that are tuning in at home.  


Except, it's not the same as being at home.  You're with numerous other people who felt it appropriate to spend x amount of hard-earned cash on your ticket because there's nothing quite like seeing something performed live.  You're going to love it.  


To me, the prospect of live theatre being available to download is great in terms of education, as Jays notes.  But, and this is a bit of a but: 


It kind of feels like it'll be a similar feeling to re-watch something you've seen live as it would to see a book you loved made into a film you hated.  You want to love the film because you loved the book but something in the script or mise en scene doesn't quite live up to how you remembered it.  The Beach is the example that springs to mind for me.  


And subsequent favourite books of mine that have been made into films have been boycotted as part of the process.  


If you're into books, always read the books.  It's probably safest to not watch the film version.  
If you're into live music, you know the recorded album will be as close to a 100% perfected version as physically possible.  You're always going to want to see the band live and no doubt pay a tidy sum to do so.  Make sure you're not watching the screens, watch the musician even if they are a teeny tiny dot in the distance.    
And, if you're into theatre, you've got to go and see it on stage.  The recorded version just ain't gonna cut it. 


***www.riveronline.co.uk relaunches on Monday 9th November 2009***


Picture: James McCauley/Rex Features