Director of the Latvian National Theater Theater Jānis Vimba
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The new easing of assembly restrictions will have a minimal impact on the operation of the Latvian National Theater, said the director of the theater Jānis Vimba.
From 17 August, up to 1,000 people will be able to gather indoors at the same time, but the requirement to keep a distance of one meter between seats will also apply. In the case of the National Theater, this means that the Great Hall can accommodate 350 spectators at a time.
The director of the National Theater admitted that the new amendments will have a greater impact on concert organizers and cultural spaces than on theaters. The room must be at least 3,000 square meters to accommodate 1,000 people.
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As to how the forthcoming easing of assembly restrictions could affect the theatre’s repertoire, Vimba pointed out that it was primarily influenced by the development of COVID-19. The director of the theater described the current situation, talking about similarities and comparing it with road repairs.
“If before it was possible to drive on the road for 90 or 100 kilometers per hour, then now the permissible speed reaches 30 or 50 kilometers per hour. But it’s also a reduced speed. Restrictions are being introduced to make us all feel safer, so I cannot blame anyone. We have to try to survive, “Vimba emphasized.
On July 31, the work of playwright Māra Zālīte premiered at the theater Margarēta directed by Reina Sukhanov. The production was viewed both in person and remotely. Vimba noted that people were very interested. Asked whether the theater plans to produce performances in this format in the future, the director of the theater emphasized that it depends on the material of the play.
«Not all works can be adapted for the Internet, not all can be transformed into camera performances. Margarēta very organically obeyed this format, as the show takes place in prison. For example, in Africa, someone was sentenced to death remotely. In our current reality, such things also happen and we are like a medium that resonates around these events, “said Vimba.
Turning to the question of future plans, the director stressed that they will remain largely unchanged – the theater will continue to play, perform and show them to the audience, as long as the cost does not exceed the turnover.
“We also have to think about profits, because otherwise we can’t cover all the costs unless we get extra grants. The new easing of assembly restrictions will have a minimal impact on our work, but it also allows us to work with a different capacity, “said Vimba.
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