The Demise of the Theatre Programme

 


Once again I visited a theatre last night to find that the company in question did not supply any programmes for their touring Musical, and they did not even have an online version either.

I am truly becoming mightily fed up with this contemporary trend of companies abandoning the idea of producing programmes / playbills / cast lists, and there are some (like the company behind last night's show) who don't even bother with the "green" alternative by uploading one on the www and issuing the audience with a QR code to access it. 

First, not everyone has the capacity, opportunity or ability to access programmes via QR codes - myself included.

Second, far from discouraging the use of mobile phones in the theatre, QR codes are actively encouraging it.

Third, programmes on QR codes cannot be read and referred to readily and easily during the evening of the performance in the same way a printed programme can, and so it really makes them a little pointless since members of the general public will rarely want to refer to the programme after the show is over.

Fourth, the company are missing out on a money-making opportunity.

And finally, there is no tangible memory or keepsake of the production. Nothing to look back on in years to come - and nothing for the cast and crew to have as part of their memorabilia. I have kept all the programmes of shows I was a part of when I was younger, and these I treasure. I feel sorry for the modern generation, who will have nothing to look back on in their dotage.

There are other ways to save the planet, so please, a plea from me - bring back theatre programmes!

Alastair Zyggu.

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