Why Bring the Virtual World onto a Classic Stage?

Symposium:

• ISEA98: Ninth International Symposium on Electronic Art
• More presentations from ISEA98:  

• Computers in Theatre: New Dimensions for Stage, Actors & Audience

• Why Bring the Virtual World onto a Classic Stage?

• Mark Joseph Sigaud

• Speaking about ‘Theatre and New Mediums’ means having a reflexion about what we are waiting from: new, and agree with what is the state of theatre art. We speak a lot about interactivity, Let’s build first the same dictionary, and then we could discuss. New is in opposition with not new, new is equivalent of fear something like UVO… From the antique era we know what interactivity means. But now there is a double language which is accentuated by another topic coming from the new technologies. How could we read speculations in publications and specialised press. And it is amplified when these new technologies meet the arts of the stage. To introduce arts of virtual images on stage you must first have experienced this great and unique world of the stage. Yes we agree it is a sacred place, but we had to try to reposition the scenic arts from their origins. Should the ‘theatre’ environment change? Should you and us (stage’s artists) change greatly and explore totally new REFERENCES, to approach the NEW? Making Virtual scenarios for stage is totally different than making scenarios for Audiovisuals. Virtual on stage is to be considered as a new actor (colours, movements, materials, transformations, representations… are components of what the author calls an actor), and challenges about real time or not is not the essential. Real time must be other than just being a technical boring ‘in time’ transmitter. And about let us work, we don’t need critics still organised for individual speculations. Nothing exists, we are too young… let us preserve this fabulous freedom which is maybe the last existing in the artistic field. Arts could have a great place in the social disturbed environments coming.