Art, Theatre, Zoom - doom and gloom?

This past month I have been lucky to "catch" two great performances out of the Old Vic, both mediated through Zoom. Now, the theatre aficionado in me could hardly wait for the Zoom stream to become live, for it gave me a chance to see performers (Andrew Scott, for one) I would not typically have a chance to see on the stage. At the same time, the pursuer of narratives in me could hardly wait to have a chance to experience a text that was specifically created for an actor (Mr. Scott) and the present-day pandemic circumstances. However, after all of the enjoyment (and there was plenty), I am left pondering the following bits:

• Is a Zoom-mediated experience a performance in and of itself?
• If so, then where does technology stop and art begin?
• Would technology help or hinder the new steps theatre is taking?
• Would a tech-supported performance only work if those participating in it are truly comfortable with the constraints of the medium?
• Should we still applaud at the end?

As I said, still very much in the open-ended stage of inquiry pursuit. In the meantime, if I am lucky, I'd like to be able to Zoom-experience at least a few more theatre-based performances, before being fully comfortable with this new medium of presentation. 

PS Yes, we dressed up.