YORK Theatre Royal stayed open throughout the long years of the First World War, to entertain those on the home front or soldiers back for a bit of welcome leave.

It stayed open throughout the long years of the Second World War, too. It even remained open during the Spanish flu outbreak of 100 years ago, and the cholera epidemic which hit York hard a hundred years before that.

And yet now, a tiny, invisible enemy has forced it (temporarily at least) to shut up shop - along with every other theatre in the land.

It is the first time in its history (it dates back to 1744) that the theatre has ever been closed for such a long period of time, admits executive director Tom Bird. This is unknown territory.

Theatre, by its very nature, is about live performance, Bird says - about actors on a stage, and an audience reacting to their every word. You can't do that in lockdown. "So this is pretty existential for us."

But, like theatres everywhere, the Theatre Royal is quickly learning to adapt.

It helps that one celebrated recent production - last year's Wise Children - is now available to watch on BBC iPlayer. "So you can pay a visit to York Theatre Royal on the iPlayer!" Bird says.

But the theatre is doing much, much more. In fact, it has launched three completely new 'community engagement' initiatives which will continue to run while the theatre building itself is closed. The idea of the 'Collective Acts' programme (that's the umbrella title for all three initiatives) is to 'bring together York's creative community of all ages until the theatre reopens', Bird says.

Here are details of the three projects:

The Lockdown Legends Challenge

Each Monday, the theatre is issuing a new challenge on its Twitter and Facebook pages to anyone who wants to get involved. Last week, it was to design a theatre costume. "We put some Swallows and Amazon costume designs out there for people to see," Bird says. The week before, it was to write a one-minute play. This week's challenge, launched today, is to recreate on video a scene from Shakespeare - using household objects as puppets. The theatre has dubbed the challenge 'Puppet Shakespeare'. "We want to see your best sock puppet Macbeths and wooden spoon Hamlets," the theatre says.

To enter, just email your submission to lockdownlegends@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk or tweet to @yorktheatre. Submissions will be posted on the theatre's social media channels during the week - you can still see last week's efforts on Twitter at @yorktheatre or the theatre's Facebook page. There are some great entries - including a one-minute Punch and Judy show staged in a family's front room and a 'Baking Bonanza' battle between two young sisters each determined to out-bake the other - in mime. The play also includes the immortal lockdown line 'I've put the parcel in quarantine' after the sisters' baking is interrupted by a doorstep delivery...

The Lockdown Legends challenge is aimed at everyone who wants to take part, says Bird - not just regular theatregoers. "We just want people to engage with the theatre," he says. "Even if you haven't been before, just have a go."

And is there an age limit? Absolutely not - it's open to everyone, Bird says. But it's great for children. "It could be part of their home schooling experience!"

The Coronavirus Time Capsule

This is a project very much aimed at young people - in fact, 20 members of the theatre's youth group are working on it.

The idea is that they are recording their daily lives in lockdown for a digital video that, once the pandemic is over, will be held in storage to be released at some point in future (perhaps ten years from now) as a digital record of what life was like during the coronavirus pandemic for York teenagers.

The young people are recording their lives week-by-week and submitting the footage to the theatre. Theatre staff will then edit the footage and shape it into a coherent account of 'Life in Lockdown', Bird says.

The initiative is part of a much wider international project run by Company Three in which youth theatres across the world will be making capsules of their own.

The York 'capsule' will be submitted as part of that project, but a copy will also be kept in storage here. "It would be good if we can open the video, say in ten years time, to look back at how things were," Bird says.

In Focus photography competition

Like Lockdown Legends, this is open to people of all ages and abilities. All you have to do is submit your photos showing what life is like in lockdown for you.

The idea came from last year's production of A View From The Bridge. To tie in with that, the theatre asked people to send in their photos of... views from various York bridges. "We got some fantastic photos," Bird says.

He hopes the response will be even better this time - resulting in a brilliant collection of photos that reflect life in lockdown for the people of York.

To enter, simply email your photos to marketing@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk. The deadline for submissions is Friday May 8, and all entries will be judged by a team from the theatre’s photography group.

And what will the prize be? Bird has to think for a moment. "How about a pair of fabulous tickets to a fabulous show?" he says...

Other activities

As well as the three programmes above, the theatre helps young people working towards their nationally-recognised Arts Award - a kind of arts version of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. During lockdown, it has adapted its support and produced a new guide so that young people can work towards their award from home. "Our guide is specially designed to be used by children and young people, supported by their parents/guardians, to keep them busy, engaged and inspired by the arts until our theatre reopens," a spokesperson says. To sign up for Home-Based Arts Award, email artsaward@yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

The theatre will also be announcing more projects and opportunities for people to get involved with over the next few weeks. Details will on the theatre’s website, yorktheatreroyal.co.uk - so watch that space...

KEEPING THE THEATRE ALIVE

York Theatre Royal will get through this crisis, Tom Bird insists. But naturally enough, lockdown is causing the theatre huge problems - not least, financially.

At the moment, it is in the process of contacting all those who bought tickets for shows that have had to be cancelled. This is being done in date order of when the show was due to start - so be patient if you haven't heard from the theatre yet, Bird says.

When you do get that call, don't be surprised if the theatre asks if you might be willing to donate the value of your cancelled ticket to help keep the theatre going. "It would be amazing if people do that!" Bird says.

And have those contacted so far been doing so? About 64 per cent have done, Bird says - testament to the importance of the theatre in people's lives. "That will help to keep us alive!" Bird says.