sorry to go off topic, but as someone who used to work in the industry I fundamentally disagree with bootlegs.
Even if 9/10 people who watch them aren’t in the position to see the show, there will be 1/10 that could have done and are getting it for free. That adds up. Theatre staff are criminally underpaid as it is and work horrific hours in a very toxic environment. Bootlegs only add to this culture. There is so much intellectual property which gets poached across different shows thanks to bootlegs.
There seems to be a real entitlement now days for west end/Broadway theatre for some reason. No where else to people get the best of the best for free because they wouldn’t of been able to get it any other way.
I love eating out but I can’t afford places like the shard. If I went I’d have to save up for years as a special treat.
there is plenty of good theatre out there at £15 a ticket and local. Bootlegs weren’t even around that long ago, especially when I was growing up because the internet wasn’t a thing/it was better moderated. But now it seems to be accepted as okay.
Also used to work in the industry. Your opinion is valid, as is mine.
The thing is, the way any kind of entertainment media is consumed is changing and industries need to keep up.
An example: if a show is released in the US, but there’s over a year to wait for it to be released in the UK (take Supernatural for example), people *will* find a way to watch it as it’s released in the US (through streaming, VPN access etc), because otherwise there will be no way to avoid spoilers without avoiding their usual internet hangouts.
Then a year and a bit later, the show airs in the UK and ratings are down because a lot of the core viewership have already seen it. Does that make illegal streaming sites ok? No. But it makes it understandable, and the networks could avoid it by adapting as the internet has made global content so much more accessible if someone really wants to see it.
Going back to theatre, they could schedule a live stream, on a platform like StageIt (which some performance venues already do) where people *do* pay a contribution to see the show. I know that a lot of people would be willing to do so, but the travel cost/in-person ticket cost is prohibitive to them. It doesn’t need to be at the start of a run, but if they made it clear like “hey we get that you’ll want to see this show, rather than turning to bootlegs we’re going to be streaming it on XYZ date for a special Theatre At Home experience!”
People can plan and wait to see it “professionally” rather than a shaky iphone footage. Everyone wins. Spotify etc changed completely how music is consumed and piracy dropped considerably when a low cost streaming option was made available.
Will there still be a minority of bootleggers? Yes. Of course. Just like with movies. But with the expense, theatre in particular isn’t really making moves to be accessible and will continue to be seen as a bit elitist if something isn’t done.
Sorry for going off topic. To bring it back to the thread - as we know Carrie would sell her soul for a donut or can of deodorant, I wonder how something like that would go down with her.
poor jamie
