The Extended Reality Theater (XRT) is the Schauspielhaus’s new digital performance space – the first of its kind at a German municipal or state theatre. The space will host works of theatre using tomorrow’s cutting-edge technology over the upcoming seasons:
In the XRT digital sets will be capable of immersing us in imaginary worlds. Actors will interact with avatars, inhabit their bodies and have algorithms adopt visual form. The involvement of the internet in the action of a staged production will become increasingly natural and accepted. The XRT is becoming the touch-feely face of digitalisation.
But it’s still primarily about us playing to a physical audience, and digital theatre need not be synonymous with livestreaming. However, we think of our new venue as a base camp for the creation of purely digital settings in which people can act as naturally as they would in a real-world environment.
In their respective capacities as artistic director and head of creative technology, Roman Senkl and Nils Corte are currently leading the work to set up the new space. These two first-generation pioneers of digital theatre are mounting their own works and also hosting productions by hot new talents such as multi-award-winning Cosmea Spelleken and the CyberRäuber Collective.
Also this season:
> Mythos P.A.N. (UA)
Photo © Alexander Hunzek
