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One of the few good things to result from this pandemic has been the streaming of plays, talks and all sorts of other events over the Internet. It has accelerated the development of digital performances as an art form in its own right. Many companies have seen the emergency as an opportunity. Just a few days ago I reviewed a magnificent double bill by the Dutch National Ballet for this website and there are many companies in this country that have produced some very good work over the last 18 months. I am therefore dismayed to read on The Guardian website that "50% of UK theatres streaming shows online during Covid revert to in-person only." Clearly a digital performance is a different experience from a performance in am auditorium but it is not necessarily an inferior one. There are things that a camera picks up that would not be spotted even by individuals in the front row of the stalls. Choreographers, artists and others can be interviewed about the work in the intervals. Perhaps more importantly streaming creates a new audience without losing the old. The new audience will include some on limited means, restricted mobility or a long way from the theatre, Last year I joined the Friends scheme of every company of which I was not already a member and upped my donations to make up for my absence from the box office;. I shall be a lot less generous this year to companies, theatres and others that treat the relaxation of legal restrictions on social distancing as an excuse for cutting back on streaming . Especially as the relaxation of restrictions already appears to have been premature (Nick Triggle Covid: The UK is Europe's virus hotspot - does it matter?, 9 Oct 2021 BBC website),