Sophya Acosta reacts to plight of Buenos Aires theatres
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The project, entitled Espectador-Luz (Spectator-Light) set out to demonstrate how new protocols approved by state agencies – such as social distancing measures and the proposal to limit audience numbers to 30% of capacity – ignore the needs of small and medium-sized venues with limited space.
Batons of white light were placed in auditoria around the city to highlight the lack of spectators, shows and life. Venues taking part in the project included La Gloria Espacio Teatral, El Excéntrico de la 18, and Teatro Anfitrion.
“Until the beginning of the year we’d considered these theatrical spaces our second home. When we re-occupied them we were overwhelmed by a feeling of melancholy; suddenly we encountered abandoned spaces, prepared for a day's work that never came,” says the team.
“The setup and construction phase of the project allowed us to see other technicians again and to enjoy working alongside colleagues. It also made us to wonder what happened to all the projects that were cancelled through the year. Espectador-Luz exposes these empty spaces almost as scenes from a tragic play.”
