Theatre must rethink itself amid global emergency

During lockdown, museums and libraries introduced product innovations, while theatre remained hesitant. As a new lockdown looms, other sectors have processes in place, but theatre lacks strategies. Product innovation means extending activities to meet consumer needs, not just digitizing services. Theatre has remained unchanged for centuries, blaming an 'uncultured mass' to avoid responsibility. While Cirque du Soleil and La Fura dels Baus attracted large audiences, and Dignità Autonome di Prostituzione drew younger crowds, theatre ignored changing consumer demands. The lockdown should prompt a rethinking of theatre as a secular cult for humanity, questioning if the same format from a thousand years ago still serves modern needs. Digital transmission alone is insufficient; theatre must evolve in language and content to represent contemporary life.