VR Theatre: Engaging Remote Audiences

The project aimed to enhance audience engagement at the Lyric Theatre by leveraging digital solutions to reach new audiences, particularly in light of the challenges posed by the Covid crisis preventing live gatherings. To address this, the Lyric developed an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) application offering remote theatre experiences.

The application features three main experiences:

1. Blackout: This production, aimed at schools in Northern Ireland, portrays the story of James, a young man facing personal challenges who gets involved in antisocial behavior and encounters legal trouble. Users are immersed in scenes of teenage life, including moments of peer pressure and antisocial behavior, as well as a virtual representation of life in a custodial educational center. Additionally, users can watch a recording of the Blackout production in a lifelike theater environment.

2. Behind the Scenes: Users can explore the inner workings of stage lighting setup and operations at The Lyric, offering insights into the complexities involved in this aspect of theater production. This VR experience provides a realistic overview of working conditions for technicians, including working at heights and physical space constraints.

3. VR Under the Sea Eco Scene: This experience is based on the Eco-Schools Project, offering a virtual journey through an underwater environment. Users learn about environmental issues, particularly the impact of plastic pollution on marine life, through animations and interactive elements such as a treasure hunt challenge to collect keys/tokens and engage in activities like freeing trapped fish and collecting waste plastic.

In summary, the project utilizes VR technology to provide immersive theater experiences and educational content, aiming to engage new audiences and compensate for the lack of live performances during the Covid crisis