As the coronavirus pandemic presents a challenge to arts in what seems like a tailspin, the Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, has
As the coronavirus pandemic presents a challenge to arts in what seems like a tailspin, the Nigeria’s National Council for Arts and Culture, NCAC, has come up with a physically distanced solution to fill the void created by the closure of entertainment events—with a drive-in theatre performance.
A drive-in theatre is a cinematic structure with a large outdoor, theatre performance or movie show in a large parking lot with the audience enjoying the communal leisure experience from their vehicles.
Before the pandemic, drive-in theatres had been relatively rare across the world, but the strain on the creative industry, as caused by COVID-19 has seen a boom in attendance in countries like the U.K., U.S., Spain, France with Nigeria joining the league.
Earlier in May, as the effects of coronavirus pandemic bit harder in Nollywood, a Nigerian filmmaker, Charles Okpaleke, introduced drive-in cinemas in Abuja and Lagos with a live performance from a popular musician, Style plus and the best DJs, and a screening of ‘Living in Bondage.’
But for the Director-General, NCAC, Olusegun Runsewe, the COVID-19 strain has not only caused an entertainment deficit but also a cultural void for many cultural arts enthusiasts. Runsewe, who recently unveiled a virtually cultural tour of Nigeria, launched the drive-in theatre performances of a play and cultural songs as a prelude to the 2020 edition of the annual National Festival of Arts (NAFEST), to be hosted by Plateau State in October.
He said the effort was also to keep stakeholders engaged and the creative sector busy, in the light of the public health emergency. After a series of virtual meetings with stakeholders, ranging from experts, members of the diplomatic community and journalists, he said, the ideas of a drive-in theatre and cultural tour were birthed as part of efforts to reposition the sector to mitigate the effects of COVID-19, rather than keeping the sector idle.
He added that the pandemic is plated with both misfortunes and opportunities to explore.
“The arts and culture sector has been one of the hardest hit of the coronavirus pandemic with many events being put on hold and businesses close up. However, from another angle, COVID- 19 is like rain falling and it gives us an opportunity to think outside the box and to come up with new innovations such as the virtual cultural tour and this (the drive-in theatre) which serve as a therapy and rain jacket for the pandemic,” Mr Runsewe said.
To ensure a risk-free environment the drive-in theatre was accessed by a selected few with no more than 20 vehicles spaced two metres apart. At each riveting moment of the play, the roar of revving engines replaced applause from the audience to reignite the communal leisure experience.
PremiumTimes
