Space, Time, and Reactivity: Designing Software for Online Theatre

Participatory digital theatre is a relatively new medium, at least in the form that emerged largely out of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increased uptake of ultra-low-latency video-conferencing platforms like Zoom offer new opportunities for designers to create interactive shows that incorporate real-time audience feedback. While far from perfect, these platforms offer a starting place for examining what works and what could be improved for online performance platforms. In this article, some reflections and recommendations are made regarding online participatory theatre design. For example, creating a sense of shared space in an online show can be aided through how audiences and performers are represented onscreen. Obscuring the representation of an audience can be used as a technique to create a more isolated, solitary experience, while the use of chats and avatars can create a more communal experience. Altering the length of streaming delays also affects the experience of a show, with shorter delays favouring more interaction and feedback. It is posited that audience avatars may have a meaningful effect on audience engagement, while the display of self-facing cameras for performers and audience members alike may have a negative impact on the experience of audience members, and the engagement of performers with an audience. The future of digital theatre is perhaps best explored by embracing what the medium does uniquely well—create experiences that are not tied directly to a physical space or time, which embrace interactivity, and which can be long-living online.