Zooming in on virtual theater

Fascinating possibilities

Although live shows went online out of necessity when the pandemic began, many theater practitioners in Hong Kong are now reconciled to the idea of living with the changes it brought.

"As creatives, we are curious and responsive to change," says Ho. "We're certainly not trying to undermine the cruel reality that is COVID-19, but the pandemic has stimulated us to think of fresh, impactful ways of communicating with others across time and space, and it has opened up fascinating possibilities."

Secret Theatre founder Richard Crawford says, "While we're looking forward to returning to physical theater, online theater has delivered new functionalities and, overall, a rewarding experience for creators."

Online tools are not only contributing to an increasingly versatile digital platform, but also serving as an inspiration and catalyst for theater practitioners.

"Having the public familiarize themselves with virtual theater may be the biggest obstacle, but I believe it has been overcome," says Zee, adding that "Now is a critical moment for online theater. I would choose to build on its successes so far, so that online theater post-COVID-19 is able to stand on its own, and not exist solely because of the pandemic."