Why you should always keep your ticket ready

Hey.  Miracles still happen.

Well…

A Japanese tourist was the only one allowed to enter Machu Picchu.

Wow.

Incredibly beautiful; I've been there. Those Incas were super smart. Brainport avant la lettre.

The Japanese tourist had come to Peru with a dream. Until Corona threw a wrench in his plans.

He spent seven months in a nearby mountain village, and all the while, he kept his entrance ticket to the wonder of the world ready. Then Peru made an exception: the Japanese tourist was the only one allowed to enter the Incan city. A reward for his faith and patience.

Puzzle pieces
The Incas were incredibly smart. They built their mega-constructions without mortar, without bricklaying. The bricks were perfectly carved into three-dimensional puzzle pieces. Not even a Parktheater Gift Card would fit through the gap.

Dancing stones
Machu Picchu is built on top of two fault lines. Thus, there are earthquakes. The stones that make up these Incan buildings are said to "dance" back and forth and up and down during an earthquake. And then fall exactly back into place.

What technique. What faith.

If you view the Corona crisis as an earthquake, the Parktheater also shakes back and forth considerably. Fortunately, without dancing stones. A particularly unnerving period. But the wonderful things that have always existed in the theater are still there; albeit, fewer performances will be shown between now and November 10th.

Contact
No theater without artists, no artists without theater. Artists and companies have adapted their performances in record time to be able to perform to as many people as possible. Many artists even perform twice an evening, quite a hefty marathon.
More than ever, it is absolutely tangible how pleasant and essential the contact is between audiences and artists.

Theater makers focus on modern-day, important themes, such as inequality, solidarity, connection and comfort. They experiment with new forms of theater. They seek increasingly more contact with the public.

The Parktheater adapted its auditoriums in no time so that visitors can now safely attend the performances. The staff improvises, adjusts and experiments constantly. And that too gives faith.

Intimacy
As much as is possible, audiences are now able to enjoy performances again, the proximity and contact with the artists. They express relief to be able to experience theater and live performance (audience reactions prior and up to the October 13th partial Corona lockdown):

Finally, despite all the limitations, we can return to the theater.

We can now be moved again!

Beautiful performances! Completely new experience with the 1.5 meter limitations, but very relaxed.

Intimate with beautiful songs. Nice to finally get out (safely).

Beautiful performance. ‘Art must remain’ was a thought that struck my mind.

Beautiful, intimate, freedom

Magnificent!! Great to hear live music and singing again and to see artists enjoying their performance!

These kinds of audience reactions give faith.

Just like the Incas’ ingenuity and faith in their own abilities. The patience and persistence of the Japanese tourist. And the creativity of the theater sector.

All figurative stones will somehow fall back into place once this "earthquake" dancing has ended. I have faith in that. And if they don't quite fall exactly into place?  Well, don't worry; a Parktheater Gift Card will always be able to fill the gap then.

Respond to this blog? Send an email to loes@parktheater.nl 

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