You can view Hester Chillingworth’s installation Caretaker here, for as long as the Royal Court is closed due to COVID.
I really love the stillness of this installation from Hester Chillingworth; a camera is positioned facing the Royal Court’s Jerwood stage, which was set for the next day’s performance of Shoe Lady by E.V. Crowe, when London theatres were closed due to COVID. I’ve visited this a few times now, and there are subtle changes over time. The notes indicate there are occasional audio messages, though I’ve not heard any.
The peacefulness of an empty theatre is something non-theatre people are unlikely to experience. The space, while empty, feels resonant with life, the echoes of the moments that have happened there before. It is an extremely comforting space for me, the empty theatre. It demands nothing, but is steeped in possibility, which is really what we need right now.
Take a moment to pop in if you can.