Regional Spotlight: How Hampstead Theatre is Working Through the Global Health Crisis

Now more than ever it is important to support theater and do our part to keep the art form that we love so much alive and as thriving as it can be during these unprecedented times. While the global health crisis has temporarily put the theater world on hold, pausing all live performances and large gatherings to help stop the spread of COVID-19, theaters around the country have taken a hit. During this time of adjusting to our temporary new normal, theaters are figuring out how to take care of their team, and discovering the best ways to virtually bring theater to audiences.

Through our regional theater interview series, we are checking in with theaters all around the country, talking to them about how they are handling these difficult circumstances, learning what they are doing to move forward, and discovering the best way for people to help regional theaters during this time.

Today we're checking in with Hampstead Theatre. We chatted with Roxana Silbert, Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director and Joint Chief Executive.

First of all, I want to check in on the health and wellbeing of everyone at Hampstead Theatre. How is everyone doing during this difficult time?

Thank you very much for asking! Everyone is in good health thankfully, coming to terms with the art of home working while in house shares, home-schooling, and all the other complexities involved. Everyone has proved remarkably resilient despite the highs and lows of lockdown. I am so proud of the way everyone rallied together to try and do what is best for the long-term well-being of the theatre.

What do the days look like right now for those who work at Hampstead Theatre?

There is no "routine' day at Hampstead Theatre at the moment as we're having to respond as the landscape changes, and it does so daily. We have weekly team meetings and a separate digital platform for our furloughed colleagues so we can all stay in touch socially. We are a family - admittedly an oddball one - and it's lovely to see people, even if it's only on Zoom!

Our workload has remained pretty full on, as we very quickly launched our #HampsteadTheatreAtHome digital series alongside some additional initiatives. There have also been the inevitable emergency finance and communications meetings.

We had two shows starting technical rehearsals the week we closed. We've left the sets on the stages ready for our return. I like to think of them waiting there for us, as a way of believing in the future.

How much planning is going on both short term and long term for the theater?

Longer term planning is focused on financial survival. We are in regular contact with our colleagues from other theatres and trying to work collectively as an industry. I believe collaboration is our best chance of survival.

At Hampstead, we are reining in our belts, looking at cost savings, but very committed to supporting the staff and the artists we're already committed to. The cast members of The Dumb Waiter and Sleep Walking valiantly continued running lines for a few weeks, in the hope we might re-open sooner than now appears realistic. Directors and designers that had already been employed on future shows continue to evolve their ideas and I continue to work with new and existing commissions, so that when we open our shows are in the best possible shape, they can be to welcome audiences back.

In a parallel world, we are also investigating new ways of engaging with audiences, if it turns out that we are closed well into next year or allowed to open with restricted conditions. This is not a future we can control, so we are remaining open and flexible, exploring a range of scenarios, and putting ourselves in a position where we can act quickly and effectively as the situation change.

We work in a creative industry and I am confident we will find creative solutions.

Do you have plans to bring any previously filmed productions/upcoming events/classes etc. online?

This week we stream the last of our free HampsteadTheatreAtHome digital series, the brilliant AIWW: The Arrest of Ai Weiwei which will run until Sunday 3 May, 10pm (BST). It can be accessed directly from our website or The Guardian, our streaming partner. We have been able to offer these six films free due to the overwhelming generosity of all the teams that made these shows originally.

Last week we announced Tattoo, our collaboration with The Outsiders Project. Writer Nell Leyshon invites people to take a picture of their tattoo and tell its story. To contribute or see the stories collected so far, please visit: http://www.outsidersproject-tattoo.com or the Hampstead website.

Our amazing Associate Company The Mono Box also have their own plans. They are holding Makers Month throughout May, dedicated to a new decade of theatre making (full details here) with more plans to be announced soon.

And we have just held our first INSPIRE meeting - our emerging writers' group - headed up by Roy Williams. They are the future and remind us we have to secure a good future for them to thrive in.

What is the best way for people to help Hampstead Theatre right now?

We have a donation button on the website where people can make a financial contribution towards the theatre should they want to. One of the most extraordinarily positive things to come out of all this is the number of people who have kept their tickets with us as credit notes or indeed used this as an opportunity to donate. Every little bit is appreciated and we are so grateful.

We are also mindful that people are going through tough times. In which case just a??remember us - we will be back! a??

Learn more about Hampstead Theatre at hampsteadtheatre.com. Donate to the theatre here!