HYBRID THEATRE: PERFORMING TECHNIQUES IN THE EFFORTS TO PRESERVE THE ART OF THEATRE PERFORMANCE POST COVID19

Abstract

The pandemic of COVID19 and the Movement Control Order (MCO) has opened up the minds of local theatre players to be more creative in applying the suitable medium in showcasing their creative performances. Thus, emerged various forms of virtual theatre known as `online theatre’. No one ever imagined that theatre performances would be performed online but now, it is a practical approach in ensuring the sustainability of the theatre art itself. However, various questions arose about online theatre in Malaysia, such as confusion with the understanding of the terms, forms, and concepts of the performance. This study and writing are based on the online theatre performance ~Sel Akhir’ by the Seni Ceritera Association and King Lear by the KL Shakespeare Players (KLSP). Based on Aristotle's Dramatic Elements approach, the authors used observation and comparison methods to explain the approach used by these two presentations and propose to our Malaysian theatre players a method of online performance that suits the current capabilities and requirements, known as hybrid theatre.