Theatres tempt new audiences with virtual reality 🎭

📚 Roberta Doyle found herself on the receiving end of a football manager's rant while watching the play Smile through a virtual reality headset. It felt alarmingly real and made her uncomfortable in a good way.

💡The use of virtual reality in theatre allows for a unique and immersive experience that can attract untapped audiences who may not have considered visiting a traditional theatre.

🎟️ Box Office VR, founded by Kelman and Gemma Greig-Kicks, offers a service where customers can insert their phone into a VR device and stream a recorded performance, taking the viewer into a 180-degree view of the stage and auditorium.

🌍 This technology has the potential to reach audiences who may not have access to physical venues or who may not have considered attending a theatre show before.

👩‍🏫 Lisa Kilbride, a drama teacher at Monifieth High School, has used Box Office VR to introduce her students to theatre. It allows them to pause and rewind the action and helps them develop a deeper appreciation for the different elements of a live performance.

🔦 The VR headset sparked excitement in her 12 and 13-year-old SQA students. No one turned down the chance to pull on the simple goggles. She is sure they're a valuable addition to her teaching toolkit and uses them to lure reluctant theatre-goers into a whole new experience. "It's easy to pause and rewind the action and all of the kids talked about the lighting, the sound, the set."

💭 My experience with virtual reality in theatre has shown me that it can be a powerful tool for not only attracting new audiences but also enhancing the educational experience for students. It brings the stage to life in a whole new way.

#VirtualReality #TheatreExperience #Insights

Read the article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-65949874

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