Interactivity In Theatre For work that reconsiders the audience-performer relationship // a place to discuss, argue, and interact…

Second Manifesto (9th October 2009)

This represents Three’s Company’s first second attempt to write out a complete definition of this particular style of interactivity. We’re currently calling it either ‘inter-reactivity’ or ‘narrative interactivity’.

This definition is most likely change. Feedback and thoughts are welcome.

A style of theatre where:

• A clear narrative^{1 2} runs through the work
• The audience can interact with and alter the narrative, and
  • This interaction occurs predominantly through interaction with the characters³
  • Character and audience remain within the world of the theatre work at all times
• The number of potential narratives which can result approaches infinity⁴

In addition, in Three’s Company’s style of narrative interactivity:

• All interaction is optional, with a satisfying theatrical experience resulting no matter how much you wish to engage
• Work is likely to make use of comedy and have a strong sense of humour running throughout it

Notes:

¹ This narrative is actively provided, with the theatre-makers taking responsibility for the audience experiencing it: the audience do not have to find or imagine their own story (although there may be extra stories which can be experience this way).

² This narrative, whatever it is, is as carefully wrought and crafted as any story-based play written for the theatre; it includes peaks and troughs, action and conflict, a beginning and middle and end.

³ The characters are strong and three-dimensional (though possibly comedic) and can also be altered/affected by the audience (indeed, in their ability to affect any given character or audience member, the audience and characters are identical).

⁴ In an ideal world, this would be infinite, in the same way that in an ideal world each piece of didactic theatre would change the opinions of every spectator. In development, it would be sufficient for the possibilities for narrative or character variation to be expanded at as many points as possible.

UPDATE 29/10/09: I’ve found an earlier version, so you can see how this has developed from our first attempt -Yaz.