Covid is (still) NUTs
A COVID-19 outbreak caused UNSW’s theatrical society’s production of ‘Prickly Love’ to halt in the middle of its show week.
An hour before Prickly Love’s Thursday performance, the assistant director tested positive for COVID-19. They were promptly sent home. The wellbeing team of the show attempted to source masks and enough RAT tests for the entire show team, with masks successfully procured during this trip to prevent the spread of the virus. However, only two RAT kits were left at the Bloom’s Chemist closest to campus. Two concerned cast members in close contact with the assistant director tested using these, one of which returned positive.
The front-of-house staff were alerted to delay the opening of the show by thirty minutes, with all guests prompted to vacate the premises until further notice. During this time, enough RAT tests were procured for the entire show team, with another two members testing positive.
This resulted in showrunners cancelling Thursday night’s performance, instead encouraging all performers and crew members involved to isolate. Since the show’s abrupt conclusion, several more members have tested positive for COVID-19 including an immunocompromised member of the cast.
The assistant producer, Anastasia Dougenis, described the ordeal as “Gut-wrenching”, citing the production “was so many people’s first NUTS show”.
In the interest of public health, the remainder of the show was postponed by two weeks, slated to re-debut from the 26th-28th of April.
