New health measures | Even in theaters and movie theaters there is a small audience

Lee Carrier
Tap

The Ministry of Culture and Information conveyed its mandate to major stakeholders in the cultural sector on Tuesday afternoon, its spokesman Luis-Julian Dufresne confirmed. However, many directors of theaters and cinemas do not know when such a measure will be taken Tap Contacted them. Others did not arrive until Wednesday for details and confirmations.

Prime Minister Franois Legalt made no mention at the press conference, so no questions were asked on the matter. “The prime minister always announces the main directions of the new health measures,” Mr Dufresne explained.

For David LaFerrier, president of the Professional Association of Spectators (RIDEAU), however, this is a “major” statement. We need to review seating plans, change audiences, and refund unrespected tickets. Too much pressure on “completely exhausted” teams. “It happens like hair on soup. We suddenly sold out with 48 hours’ notice, “he lamented.

The man who is the director of the Gilles-Vignelt Theater describes the measure less than the way it was announced. “We always contacted, we always had a way. There, we were informed a few minutes before the press conference,” Mr Laferrier continued.

On Tuesday evening, Bubin Cinemas director, Park and Museum, Mario Fortin, was still waiting for official confirmation.

“In all likelihood, we’ll go two meters,” he said cautiously. Many details need to be specified, especially on the application of physical distance. Under the current mandate, venue owners are required to close each other’s seats or provide a two-seat vacancy. “The two cinemas do not have the same sites. I don’t have a room that looks like any other room, ”said Mr. Fortin.

Still relieved

Despite everything, the culture community breathed a sigh of relief. Tightening is always better than closing, thinks Jean-Simon Traversi, the artistic co-director of the Ducepe Theater. To him, it was also a success: theaters proved to be safe places. “We’re happy to be out in the open,” he said. Although twenty seats were low, one room was already reduced to two-thirds.

Mario Fortin agrees. “Last week, when we saw the closed areas, we removed our foot from the accelerator. We were happy not to put the brakes on.” Between wiping out a few seats or losing 50 employees, the choice is clear to him. Ministry confirmed.

For his part, the RIDEAU president, who represents more than 350 exhibition venues in Quebec, has expressed some reservations about the consequences of the announcement on smaller venues, which will have to get rid of valuable seats. “It changes the game. We go from very few to really, really, very few, ”David Laferrier stressed.

He gives the example of Thetre du Maris, which has to go from 40 seats to just 20 seats. “The relationship between the room and the stage has completely changed,” he explained. According to him, in this case the bond of trust between the public and the theater is in danger. “If I called him to say I had to pay back his ticket or a show was canceled, he might not come back,” he feared.