Precedents for an Unprecedented Time A look back at the 1918 flu and 2003 SARS provides insight into the transition back to regular performances and what may change along the way BY BYRON HARRISON A The Berliner Ensemble removed seats on May 27 2020 to enable social distancing for future performances. s venues across Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America were announcing closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak during the second week of March 2020, the anxiety within the performing arts community was real and justified. But from my perspective living in Hong Kong, the potential magnitude of impact on the arts sector had already become apparent, as venues here had already been closed for more than six weeks. Even as a newcomer to this city, I could observe (and benefit from) the collective experience and lessons of the SARS epidemic in 2003. And so I began to bristle at words like "unprecedented" and phrases like "uncharted territory." A refusal to look across cultural lines dpa picture alliance/Alamy Stock Photoa SUMMER 2020 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY |7