It may be hard to remember now, but for four weeks at the end of last summer, people were desperate to be sat in a crowded room. Queueing up (however close together they fancied) from 5 in the morning, it seemed like all of London wanted to breathe in each other’s germs just to watch Phoebe Waller-Bridge perform Fleabag at the Wyndham’s Theatre.

Based on the amount of time I spent in an online queue for tickets without ever seeing the show, it seems like a reasonably limited number of the people who wanted to watch Fleabag live got to. So, Soho Theatre’s decision to release the show as part of their Soho Theatre on Demand service (available until 31st May for just £4) is excellent news – Fleabag on stage for all! What’s more, that £4 (or indeed more, if you choose) will be divided up between a number of great charities, all dedicated to supporting those affected by the Covid-19. pandemic.

It is wonderful that Fleabag have been able to waive their fees and are using their success to help those most in need in the crisis. But, let’s not lie to ourselves, most of the creative team involved with Emmy-Award winning Fleabag are in a place financially where not being able to create theatre for a year won’t greatly impact upon their lives. Even as guidelines are eased, we know it’s unlikely theatres will be able to open their doors any time soon. With so many reliant on live theatre for their income, from front of house to those in the spotlight, the sector is being forced to find new ways to fundraise to secure their future. Even the ticket price for the other performances available on Soho Theatre on Demand goes to the theatre rather than the charities. It’s an important question that theatres and theatre companies across the UK are having to ask themselves: how can we balance fundraising for ourselves with supporting the wider community?

The National Theatre is releasing one archive show a week on their YouTube channel. YouTube has an option for videos to be ‘fundraisers’, so throughout, the video contains a little pop-up advert asking you to donate to the National Theatre. You even watch the amount fundraised going up as the show goes on, an interesting fundraising technique in itself as it creates a sense of urgency for the viewer even as they are relaxing at the virtual theatre. Releasing one show every Thursday at 7pm, the National is recreating as much as it can the feeling of actually going to the theatre: the community, the anticipation, the necessity to be on time! This is a fantastic gesture from the National, they are incredibly lucky to have an extensive archive of productions to release, and possibly feel the sense that as the “National” theatre they have an obligation to support and share this with the nation at this difficult time.

But, this articulation of themselves as the theatre for the nation also works as a fundraising strategy: reinforcing the important narrative of who they are and why people should donate to them. In releasing work from their extensive and impressive back catalogue, the National is subtly reminding audiences how long they have been an institution, and the range of work they have created. Obviously, no matter how solid the National may seem they are still operating at a precarious time. They are an important establishment employing hundreds, but, they know that they are doing so from a position of privilege. They are making the most of their resources, encouraging you to donate, and making sure you can see how much others are willing to. But, primarily, they are acting as a free resource for live theatre for anyone across the UK.