Since 2020, the global outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed human daily life and had immeasurable impacts on the theatre industry. How should theatre workers respond to these various changes? How will theatre exist in the post-pandemic era?
On the evening of October 10th, an online cross-strait youth theatre forum with the theme of "Theatre in the Post-Pandemic Era" was held. Seven young scholars from Chinese mainland and Taiwan discussed topics such as "Theatre in the Post-Pandemic Era," "Possibilities of Online Theatre," "Theatre and Media: Live Theatre vs. Mediated Theatre," and "Pandemics and Theatre: History and Reality." The forum was organized by the Department of Theatre Literature at the Central Academy of Drama, Taiwan National University of the Arts, and the Taiwan College of Drama, with the co-sponsorship of the International Association of Theatre Critics (IATC) China Branch. Professor Peng Tao, the head of the Department of Theatre Literature at the Central Academy of Drama, and Professor Liu Jinli, the president of the Taiwan College of Drama, hosted and commented on the forum.
Associate Professor Zhang Lianqiang from the Department of Theatre Studies at Taiwan National University of the Arts discussed the state of theatre education in Taiwan under the pandemic and shared his experiences and strategies for teaching theatre courses online. He also presented examples of online teaching performances.
Project Manager at the Taiwan College of Drama and part-time lecturer at the Department of Theatre Studies at Taiwan National University of the Arts, Ye Xianren, began by comparing theatre and film, outlining the pursuit of theatrical uniqueness in modern theatre. He then explored the meaning of the "scene" in theatre from a phenomenological perspective, concluding with prospects for the future development of theatre.
Zhao Yan, the Chief Editor of the Editorial Department of the China Stage Art Society, provided a detailed analysis of the challenges posed by media technology's intrusion into the theatrical live experience. She also looked ahead to the development of "theatrical live experiences" in the post-pandemic digital era, addressing aspects such as "media live experiences," "live production processes," "audience participation and presence," and "the extension of the human body supported by technology."
Doctoral student Zhang Yan from the Department of Theatre Literature at the Central Academy of Drama theoretically examined the key terms "theatrical live experience" and "media live experience." Drawing from her personal experience of watching "Hamlet Kebab," she argued that in the current context of online performances, it is challenging for the audience to become an organic collective and transform passive viewing into intellectual liberation. She raised the question of how to use new online theatre forms more benevolently and uprightly for social purposes.
Doctoral student Su Hang from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Performing Arts at Taiwan National University of the Arts analyzed the spatial and bodily aspects of online theatre using the example of the online play "Waiting for Godot" directed by Wang Chong. Her conclusion was that although online theatre can establish a free rhythm and spatiotemporal relationship adapted to the internal and external environment through online space, and it fosters interactive information presence among people during the artistic communication process, it is currently considered more as a supplementary derivative of theatre.
Doctoral student Li Zheng from the Department of Theatre Literature at the Central Academy of Drama summarized the acceptance process of online theatre in Chinese mainland from both theoretical and practical perspectives. He believed that in the pre-pandemic era, the acceptance of online theatre had three origins: high-definition theatre broadcasts represented by NT Live, theatre creation relying on digital media experiences, and Chinese opera films. In the post-pandemic era, compared to the optimistic and radical theoretical concepts, the aesthetics of online theatre are more of a strategic practice.
Doctoral student Lin Wu Junmin from the Institute of Interdisciplinary Performing Arts at Taiwan National University of the Arts focused on the performing arts in post-pandemic Taiwan, providing a detailed summary of three types of online performances: live online broadcasts, online recordings, and the 5G all-new theatre technology that combines VR virtual reality and multi-angle broadcasting. He analyzed the path of online performing arts in post-pandemic Taiwan from the perspective of the audience-performer relationship.

A total of more than 120 graduate students from the Department of Theatre Literature and students and teachers from various universities in both Chinese mainland and Taiwan participated in this online conference. This forum not only engaged in extensive discussions on theatre in the post-pandemic era but also deepened mutual understanding between both sides on the current state of the theatre industry. It also facilitated in-depth exchanges among young scholars and strengthened friendships.