Roberta Doyle, director of national affairs within the National Theatre of Scotland, was left in disbelief after witnessing a theatrical play in Virtual Reality. The play in question was "Smile," depicting the life of Jim McLean, manager of the renowned football club Dundee United.
In Doyle's words, "You're in the dressing room at half-time and getting his view of your first half performance. It rattled me, there was a lot of swearing and finger pointing. But it was very well done. It was uncomfortable in a good way."
Box Office VR offers this experience to anyone who wants to view a play, especially those who cannot attend a venue due to inconvenience or those who cannot.
Rosie Aldridge from Glyndebourne tests the accoustics on stage in the main auditorium during the first viewing of the interior at the new Marlowe Theatre.
Revival of Theatre
Through engaging VR experiences, Box Office VR, founded by Kelman and Gemma Grieg-Kicks, aims to increase theatre's accessibility to possible audiences. The service requires users to wear headsets and is built for inexpensive and cheap options such as Google Cardboard VR Glasses.
Box Office VR enables consumers to see a performance that has already been filmed while magnified by a VR headset on their phone. With over 100 individuals downloading a performance, this app is created for those who cannot physically visit a theatre or access a venue. The VR headgear intensifies the experience by a 180-degree angle of the environment.
Lisa Kilbride, a drama teacher at the Monifieth High School in Dundee, introduced students to theatre using Box Office VR. Due to the school's remote location, some students had to travel great distances to watch plays. In addition to learning theatre directing, lighting, and sound techniques, Kilbride's students also study for exams that are administered by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA).
The SQA pupils were enthused by the VR headgear and enthusiastically adopted the straightforward eyewear. They provide a unique theatrical experience, according to Ms. Kilbride, seeing it as an important educational resource. Students can debate lighting, sound, and set by pausing and rewinding the action using the goggles.
She thinks that kids must share the excitement of the theatre because it makes them happy. Students may tour the theatre using the goggles to familiarize themselves with their surroundings. The Dundee Rep's interior caught the pupils' attention when they were looking at it for the very first time.
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The Industry's Possibilities
In particular, for those with tight resources, Virtual Reality offers the potential to increase awareness and income for smaller theatres. Box Office VR, merely a passion project for Ms Grieg-Kicks and her husband, has shot shows for known theatres, including the York Theatre Royal and London's Sadler's Wells dance theatre.
Due to size or expense, they can now host concerts that they couldn't normally tour. Although the possibility for consumers to access events through VR headsets is huge, it may not substantially influence the billions of dollars that tech titans such as Apple and Meta have invested in VR.
Business manager of Dundee Rep, Liam Sinclair, owes his success to a talented drama instructor who encouraged him to pursue theatre. He recounts how Box Office VR made an influence the family of his late manager and how 'Smile' attracted a new audience to his venue who loved football and Dundee United.
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