The state of the (performing) arts: Theatres try to find their groove 5 Feb 2021 The John Kani Theatre was decontaminated after a positive Covid-19 test at the Market Theatre in Johannesburg. (Paul Botes) The theatre industry has been hit hard by the pandemic. A look at how theatres are regrouping shows there is no consensus on how to find a way forward — understandably so, given the fractured nature of the industry. “This is largely due to the industry being unregulated, most employees being on freelance contracts and the uncertain nature of limited funding for which the sector has to [compete],” said Ismail Mahomed, director at the Centre For Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.