Coronavirus Outbreak: India's theatre practitioners view crisis as time to introspect, reinvigorate stage ecosystem

Even outside the context of a lockdown, theatre in India operates as what could be termed a grossly underpaid gig economy, with actors and technicians buffeting their slender takeouts with earnings from television, digital media or film projects. As Sangeet Natak Akademi honouree Sunil Shanbag, who has co-founded groups like Theatre Arpana and Tamaasha Theatre, says, “One thing is for sure, there are great human tragedies unfolding outside.” “It’s going to take a while to figure out how to respond. In Delhi, the Black Box Okhla, a fairly new venue that’s quickly carved a niche for itself in the world of experimental arts, announced an interactive engagement with their patrons and followers on Instagram, called BBO In The Clouds, a ‘virtual theatre of conversations and creations.’ Beginning 20 March, they’ve been posting polls and queries on Instagram Stories, and based on the responses, their creative team have been working on a virtual play that will be unveiled on 31 March. Takalkar is reclusive even in normal circumstances, so his routines under lockdown might not seem any different, but he finds his approach has changed when it comes to the books he’s reading, saying, “I find myself returning to the very fundamentals of theatre with fresh eyes and a renewed focus.