David Monteith-Hodge's new short film documenting Theatres in Lockdown now available

Filmmaker and photographer David Monteith-Hodge has created a filmic journey around 53 of London’s most iconic theatres during the second national lockdown.

Theatres in Lockdown is a striking collage of the city’s theatre exteriors, acting as a reminder of the importance of the venues at this time of crisis.

This project merges photography with elements of documentary filmmaking. Eerily quiet train carriages, empty Underground stations and closed  theatre entrances are captured; some with signage alerting the public that they hope to reopen soon. The visual imagery is then accompanied by the soundscape of a muted London. 

Monteith-Hodge said: “When the country closed down for the first time, I, like many other artists, struggled with the motivation to be creative and felt guilty for not being able to do so. During this second lockdown I finally felt able to pursue a passion project like this one. I wanted to use the short film to make a statement about the importance of taking care of ourselves and others  by inviting the viewer to join me on my journey of ‘checking in’ on London’s theatres, an experience which aided my own mental health.

“I hope the absence of people in the shots of the theatres reminds the viewer to think about the staff and freelance artists who would usually be  inhabiting those buildings and creating exciting and valuable work”.

This film is intended to inspire people to support their local theatres and practitioners in any way they can during these hard times. It is free to watch here.