Despite knowing cultural venues are in precarious financial straits, Sarah Carson mourns the fact she can no longer buy a single theatre ticket.
I was recently booking tickets to a gig when I tripped up reading the small print: because of the limited capacity of the venue, and the extra space needed to allow for social distancing, tickets had to be bought in units of two or more. I had planned to go alone – which I have always enjoyed, and which I often have to do for work anyway – but now felt a pressure to rope in a chaperone, to try to convince someone else to spend their money to come along, and making myself responsible for their good time in the process.
I can understand it – the arts are in dire financial straits and events stand to profit far more from a household group of four, for example, who can sit close together, than lots of people alone, dotted around each two metres apart – but I still felt disappointed. I have missed the wildness and crowded heat and chaos of live shows with my friends – but where those once gave me freedom, solo gigs gave me independence... Keep reading on iNews.
I was recently booking tickets to a gig when I tripped up reading the small print: because of the limited capacity of the venue, and the extra space needed to allow for social distancing, tickets had to be bought in units of two or more. I had planned to go alone – which I have always enjoyed, and which I often have to do for work anyway – but now felt a pressure to rope in a chaperone, to try to convince someone else to spend their money to come along, and making myself responsible for their good time in the process.
I can understand it – the arts are in dire financial straits and events stand to profit far more from a household group of four, for example, who can sit close together, than lots of people alone, dotted around each two metres apart – but I still felt disappointed. I have missed the wildness and crowded heat and chaos of live shows with my friends – but where those once gave me freedom, solo gigs gave me independence... Keep reading on iNews.