A guide to mindful at-home viewing set-ups

During any other July, the Edinburgh festivals would be building around me; venues, posters, and Fringe guides serving as tangible symbols for the theatre to come. This year, however, things are different. 

Attending digital performances at home puts the responsibility on us, to not only be a theatre audience member but to also be theatre builders. Rather than enter a venue and let it immerse us, we squint into our screens in the same surroundings we have been in for months. I do miss the ritual of walking through the doors of a venue, even the grungiest, fringiest of venues. I’ve been thinking about what it means to arrive in a performance space, physically, and trying out some ways of simulating this type of environment at home. While we can’t recreate every detail of a theatre venue, we can aim for its effect: a purposeful environment for connecting with ourselves, others, and the present moment.

1. Invite a friend to 'the theatre' with you

You can watch virtually with a friend across town, or across time zones. I love to invite faraway friends with whom I wouldn’t be able to go to the theatre with in person. Schedule your theatre date, and press play on the recording at the same time. The experience feels more live, and I feel part of a collective when I know that someone else is watching with me. I prefer to opt out of text commentary during the show; we can discuss afterwards, as if on the walk home. In a pinch, recruit a pet or a cuddly toy to watch with you instead. It really does make a difference to assemble a small audience. 

2. Evoke the venue

When I take a few minutes to go through the motions of arriving at the theatre, I’m less fidgety and distracted once I press play on the recording. What do you usually do? Make sure your basic needs are met. Use the toilet and enjoy the lack of queue. Pour a drink, fix yourself a snack and turn off your phone. Close down any applications on your laptop or whatever device that’s serving as your stage.

3. Find your seat and get cosy

Work with what equipment you’ve got — connect the TV, fire up the bluetooth speakers. If you’re a laptop viewer like me, prop your screen on a pillow, out of arms’ reach, to avoid the temptation to open new tabs. Dim the lights. Make any adjustments before pressing play. Embrace the loneliness of an audience of one by thinking of it as a private screening, with spacious VIP seating. 

4. Note the run time, and resist checking the progress bar

I’ll admit, in my most restless of audience experiences, I have snuck a glance at my watch to see how much of this thing there is to go. At home I find myself tempted to swipe my curser across the screen to check the time. Every time I do, I’m pulled out of the present moment. When I resist, I remain attentive. So, note the running time in advance, assure yourself you have room to watch it all the way through, and avoid checking the progress bar on the video player again.

5. Commit to your choice, and give it a chance

It’s so much easier to click away from a performance anonymously. There’s no awkward audience faux pas of walking out midway. Once you’ve selected your show, give it a chance before toggling to something different. Theatre on a laptop may feel disconcerting, so give yourself a moment to warm up. Remember that a filmed performance art piece may feel different from the movies and TV shows we’re used to watching on screens. Carry the same intention of commitment that you would if you were attending in person. Of course, it’s okay to leave if you must, but keep in mind that switching from show to show divides attention.

6. After the show, pause to process

Even with the busiest of Fringe schedules, there is a slight buffer of time from one show to the next, so schedule this in for yourself at home. I like to reflect on the performance I’ve just seen before moving on. The thing is, digital performances don’t stay with me as much as physical ones do. They just don’t. So to give them the best chance, I like to space them out. Each new performance will expand my curiosity in an unexpected direction, pause to observe what that direction is for you, and the string of performances you enjoy will weave together. 

Especially with an all-access pass, we can feel pressured to see as many shows as we can, to make that price of admission worth it. Navigating a festival, any festival, is not about consuming, but experiencing. Indulge in the variety of choices and find ways to measure your fulfilment that are more qualitative than the number of minutes or productions watched.