With Paris Theaters Closed, Church Is the Only Show in Town
Coronavirus restrictions have shut playhouses and concert halls. So our critic went to Mass to get her fix of music, choreography and drama.
Thierry Laurent addressing the congregation during Mass at St.-Roch in Paris on Dec. 6.Credit.Elliott Verdier for The New York Times
Dec. 10, 2020
PARIS Where can you find elaborate costumes, choreographed flourishes and live music in France right now? Not in theaters. Since the country eased its second lockdown in late November, the show has resumed in only one setting: churches.
Catholicism is the predominant faith in France, and on paper, a Roman Catholic Mass and a stage performance aren’t all that different: Both events involve a cast of professionals addressing a seated, and now socially distanced, audience.