The Business of Theatre in Covid-19 and Post Covid-19 Environment

Abstract

This study explores the business of theatre in a Covid-19 and post-Covid-19 environment. Although theatre is not a physical medicine that can treat an infectious disease like Covid-19, it is believed to therapeutically heal the sick and a sick society. More so, theatre, taking the colouration of a change agent, is thought to seek ways to instill societal change in the fight against any disease outbreaks, of which Covid-19 is one. As an agent of social change, the usefulness of theatre in bringing about positive change through its web of persuasion and entertainment cannot be downplayed, especially when there is the need to put aside an existing culture. The ways in which theatre becomes a veritable instrument in curtailing the spread of the Covid-19 disease, as well as a vehicle of entertainment through which members of society are purged of their tragic emotions due to the loss of a loved one or economic hardship, are explained using artistic and literary research methods. The result shows that the theatre has not reneged on performing its role facetiously since the outbreak of the coronavirus disease. However, the little it has done has been hypocritical. Nonetheless, with the virus still in existence, there is a greater need to engage the theatre in more sensitisation shows on all media of communication. It is suggested that subsequent creative works should be reflexive of the period.