Blog 2 – Day 1

Mylo McDonald in our 2023 production of The Changeling taken by Charlie Flin

What an amazing space! Playing the argument/tent scene between Cassius and Brutus in the grand rooms of the Old Royal Naval College was deeply immersive. It felt right – like the kind of space where such a quarrel might take place if war were to break out in London.

In performance, I discovered something striking. Whatever ulterior ambition or ego Cassius might carry at this point, the loss of Brutus’ love and respect cuts through everything. The wound felt devastating.

Our preliminary conversations about the application of VR/AR were equally energising. We explored its potential for creating intimacy, for breaking from reality (perhaps a “play within a play” moment: ladies and gentlemen, you may now put on your glasses), or even for fostering a sense of distrust in reality – *cough* Hamlet *cough*?

After our text work, our imaginations lit up with possibilities for Julius Caesar. Could on-stage, non-speaking characters film the action live? If so, who are they – press, war reporters, members of a politician’s team capturing footage for propaganda? Could we witness live editing on stage, with Brutus, for instance, directing a camera operator who uses AR to alter the feed in real time – so that our audience experiences both the “truth” and the “edited truth” side by side? Exciting times ahead.