Digital interactive spectatorship in dream (2021)‎ : an experimental holographic adaptation of Shakespeare’s a midsummer night’s dream

Abstract EN

The spectators' role has changed dramatically throughout the years.

In the last couple of decades, terms like 'viewers/ recipients' could no longer be accurately used to fully describe the role of those who enjoy a dramatic performance.

Digital ontology has led to more accurate descriptions of their role like participants and/or even influencers in the unfolding of the narrative.

These descriptions fit users' role in the digital age.

Participants are involved in the formation and progression of the events via theories of visual representation and interactive spectatorship.

Most studies focused on the varying extent of digital involvement in different theatres but few attempted to examine spectatorship theories within the framework of digital performance tracing the shift of focus from the union between makers/ performers with computers to that between computers and spectators.

This paper applies the Digital Interactive Spectatorship theory to 2021 performance Dream which is a virtual adaptation of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream.