Technology and the Future of Theatre | Sarah Ellis | TEDxLondonBusinessSchool

Summary

This transcript explores the intersection of technology and theatre, highlighting the Royal Shakespeare Company's innovative efforts to blend artistry and digital tools. The speaker discusses how technologies like lidar scanning, augmented reality, and real-time rendering are reshaping theatrical experiences, with a focus on collaborative projects between artists and technologists. The use of new technologies in performance aims to enhance connection, inclusivity, and audience engagement. By embracing digital innovation, theatre evolves to meet contemporary challenges, creating immersive, interactive experiences while staying true to its artistic roots.

Takeaways

• 😀 The integration of technology and art has always been crucial in theater, and the role of a director of digital development bridges the gap between artists and technologists.
• 😀 New technologies, such as augmented reality and virtual 3D spaces, offer opportunities to redefine how theater is experienced and how audiences can interact with performances.
• 😀 Historical technological innovations, such as electricity and the printing press, have shaped the way we experience Shakespeare's plays today.
• 😀 The Royal Shakespeare Theatre has embraced cutting-edge technology, including lidar scanning and game engines, to create virtual versions of their physical space.
• 😀 The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the need for new ways to connect audiences, highlighting the importance of liveness and togetherness in theater experiences.
• 😀 The collaboration between engineers and theater makers can lead to innovative solutions, such as real-time digital avatars representing characters like Ariel in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.
• 😀 The merging of digital and physical worlds in theater allows for more interactive and immersive storytelling, as demonstrated by the integration of AR with live performance.
• 😀 Virtual and real-time interaction between performers and audiences is an area of ongoing experimentation, with a focus on enhancing connection and emotional engagement.
• 😀 David Bowie's idea of tomorrow belonging to those who see it coming emphasizes the importance of visionary thinking in both technology and the arts.
• 😀 Future theater experiences will likely involve more personalization, with audiences able to choose their stage and experience performances in a more intimate and co-present virtual setting.
• 😀 The future of theater will involve greater collaboration between poets, engineers, and audiences to push the boundaries of performance, technology, and shared experiences.

Q & A

What is the central theme of the script?

The central theme revolves around the integration of technology with traditional theater, exploring how digital tools can enhance storytelling and redefine audience engagement in live performances.

How does the role of digital development at the Royal Shakespeare Company contribute to theater?

The role of digital development at the Royal Shakespeare Company brings together artists and technologists to imagine the future of theater, blending creativity and engineering to create innovative theatrical experiences using new technologies.

Why does the speaker mention Norbert Wiener's quote about engineers and poets?

The speaker references Wiener's quote to highlight the longstanding intersection between art and technology, suggesting that successful innovations in theater have always required the fusion of creative and technical minds.

What role does technology play in the history of theater, according to the speaker?

The speaker emphasizes that technologies like candlelight, electricity, and the printing press have always supported the actor and storytelling in theater, and new technologies continue to shape how performances are created and experienced.

What is the significance of the 3D virtual scan of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre?

The 3D scan of the theater, created using lidar technology, represents a digital twin of the space, enabling the company to experiment with virtual performance and audience interaction, as well as expanding the theater's reach beyond its physical boundaries.

How does augmented reality (AR) fit into the Royal Shakespeare Company's exploration of new technologies?

The speaker saw the potential of augmented reality to merge virtual and real-world experiences in theater, notably in a demonstration of a whale moving over the audience's heads. This inspired the company to explore how AR could bring Shakespeare's plays to life in innovative ways.

What was the role of Intel's technology in the 2016 *Tempest* production?

Intel's technology enabled the creation of a real-time digital avatar of the character Ariel, driven by the movements of an actor, allowing the company to merge digital and physical elements in a groundbreaking way.

What challenges did the Royal Shakespeare Company face when incorporating digital technology into their productions?

The challenges included technical complexities such as rendering 3D avatars in real-time, managing vast amounts of data, and ensuring that the technology could support live performances. Despite these hurdles, creative solutions were found, like using simple materials such as mosquito nets to project digital images.

How did the 2016 *Tempest* production contribute to the future of theater?

The production showcased how new technologies could expand the possibilities of theater by blending live performance with digital elements. It helped develop a toolkit for future theatermakers, demonstrating how engineers and artists can collaborate to push creative boundaries.

What does the speaker mean by 'virtual co-presence' in theater?

Virtual co-presence refers to the idea of allowing both performers and audiences to interact in real-time within a virtual space, enhancing the sense of liveness and connection, even when participants are physically apart.