Alternative Reality Games and the Theatre?
Hi,
I just wanted to post a little piece and open a question about a medium that I've been living and breathing over the last few months!
What age is the most difficult to get into the Theatre? 13-30. Why? Because they're at home socialising, gaming and interacting on the internet.
Alternative Reality Games have been happening for a while but they've started to pop up everywhere as companies, charities and filmmakers are realising that it's the most effective way to tap into the 13-30 audience. 75% of teenagers don't watch tv anymore (and so I dread to think what the percentage of 'teenage theatre-goers' is!)
Basically,as a company/writer/charity, you create a world that's set up as a game (an alternative reality).
The 'gamers' have to break codes, follow-up clues, interact with the world and it's characters and of course, with the other 'gamers'. It's extremely sociable and really exciting (for both the gamers and the creators). It's constantly changing and it's hands on for the writers as you're making sure that the story develops (through social networks, you tube feeds and live events).
Personally, I believe there's a huge scope for theatre to merge with such a game, the 'live event' being the play. Imagine walking into a theatre already knowing the characters, their past, their present and you're simply going to the theatre because you want to know what happens next!
It'll be really interesting to see how Hide and Seek merge these two concepts (ARG and theatre) on July 2nd at 'Sandpit'.
There's a huge potential in exploring this collaboration of mediums.
Don't you think?
I just wanted to post a little piece and open a question about a medium that I've been living and breathing over the last few months!
What age is the most difficult to get into the Theatre? 13-30. Why? Because they're at home socialising, gaming and interacting on the internet.
Alternative Reality Games have been happening for a while but they've started to pop up everywhere as companies, charities and filmmakers are realising that it's the most effective way to tap into the 13-30 audience. 75% of teenagers don't watch tv anymore (and so I dread to think what the percentage of 'teenage theatre-goers' is!)
Basically,as a company/writer/charity, you create a world that's set up as a game (an alternative reality).
The 'gamers' have to break codes, follow-up clues, interact with the world and it's characters and of course, with the other 'gamers'. It's extremely sociable and really exciting (for both the gamers and the creators). It's constantly changing and it's hands on for the writers as you're making sure that the story develops (through social networks, you tube feeds and live events).
Personally, I believe there's a huge scope for theatre to merge with such a game, the 'live event' being the play. Imagine walking into a theatre already knowing the characters, their past, their present and you're simply going to the theatre because you want to know what happens next!
It'll be really interesting to see how Hide and Seek merge these two concepts (ARG and theatre) on July 2nd at 'Sandpit'.
There's a huge potential in exploring this collaboration of mediums.
Don't you think?
Views: 64
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by National Theatre Wales on
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Would be great to hear examples, both from the theatre world and outside of people who are using these techniques. In the UK, Blast Theory are the theatre/arts group that have been working with some of these techniques for the longest - for example in projects like Uncle Roy All Around You. I am also a big ran of visual arts group Reactor, who surround their participative art events with a range of online and other activity. And at Batttersea Arts Centre, groups like Coney often leave the stage behind for an immersive game-like experience. And then of course there are the Hide and Seek folk, who are working with us to develop ideas in Wales.
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Permalink Reply by Alex Fleetwood on
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Hey Bethan
This is a furrow we at Hide&Seek have been trying to plough for a while now! The Soho Project was a collaboration between myself, some members of Coney, and the London Games Festival fringe to try and make a live ARG / theatre / game mashup. At Sandpit tonight we are presenting work from Belt Up Theatre, Tin Horse Theatre, and (again) Coney.
I'm really interested in the work of SFZero, who aren't theatre makers as such, but who occupy a very interesting space online. Finally, there's the last will prototype, which was a collaboration between H&S and Punchdrunk.
Hope that's some good link-love for you John!
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Permalink Reply by Bethan Marlow on
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Hi Alex,
I'm very excited to see what hide and seek do, I've heard lots of things about you but never been to an event. It'll be great to have a taste of what's already out there and what can happen next. It's exciting times!!!
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Permalink Reply by Daniel Lyddon on
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It's not something that I've heard of before, but I'm interested to learn how gaming could draw people into a theatre (and keep them coming back for more!)
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Permalink Reply by Sarah Jones on
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I think it could be really useful with theatre collaborations. We are leading a collaboration called 'Strangers' creating a play virtually through the internet with youth in Hong Kong, Sydney, Nelson and Carmarthenshire. We'd be interested in using gaming to both introduce the collaborators to eachother and develop shared characters and content. So from reading this discussion it might be good to get in touch with Hide and Seek during the planning phase? I think the Birmingham Reps collaboration with companies in Korea and Japan on 'Looking for Yoghurt' is looking at this too but have opted for a companion game rather than a on-line world.
Sarah Jones
Mess Up The Mess Theatre Company
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