When Plato mentioned the term ‘catharsis’ in his book Poetics, he did not define the term, which has led scholars to interpret it in a variety of ways. This article explains catharsis as it occurs in the theatre and illustrates how people resorted to catharsis to allay their fear during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it discusses how the traditional interpretation of catharsis and the new theory point to the fact that catharsis is not only a form of releasing negative emotions, but also a source of pleasure as well as a viable therapy.