Midsummer night dream bridge theatre

[zahidf]

[Deleted]

So not *actually* immersive, just another piece like Caesar trying to cash in on the buzzword without fully understanding that it's not just a synonym for promenade or site specific.....

[kathryn]

I don't care whether it's truly 'immersive' or not, if it's as good as Caesar was.

[Deleted]

Totes agree, looking forward to that!

[learfan]

Yep, doubt its going to be in an actual forest. Will wait for cast.

[zahidf]

I liked the way they did Caesar, so will probably watch this as well

[asfound]

Oct 12, 2018 8:51:43 GMT @baemax said:

So not *actually* immersive, just another piece like Caesar trying to cash in on the buzzword without fully understanding that it's not just a synonym for promenade or site specific.....

What does immersive mean then? I thought Julius Caesar was pretty immersive, as in I was "immersed" in the action. Or does it have to be interactive? I found I actually had more interactions (David Morrissey yelling at me, shaking hands, being asked to hold placards) than the Drowned Man, which I had very few interactions is any (although this is how I prefer it). What actually is immersive theatre? I'm confused.

[Stephen]

Oct 12, 2018 9:08:35 GMT zahidf said:

I liked the way they did Caesar, so will probably watch this as well

I usually like a proscenium, a seat and a gin but Caesar got me excited so I'll give this a shot too.

[lynette]

Yes what does immersive mean? Bonkers. Do you think there are people making a living generating words in this way? I mean, words that exist but in a different context? And just for effect.

[lynette]

Of course I will book for this.

[Deleted]

Immersive is now a well known term as regards staging but there are differences in how it is used.

1) Where the cast and audience share the same space* but the audience are not acknowledged.
2) Where the cast and audience share the same space* and the audience are acknowledged but not expected to respond.
3) Where the cast and audience share the same space* and the audience are both acknowledged and expected to respond.
4) Where technology creates a world in which the audience is placed, through video, audio, VR etc. This may or may not involve live actors.

I'm sure there are more but that's a basic rundown. The use of the term is very wide, as you can see, and is used for anything from basic promenade performances to the audience being the main performer (something like You Me Bum Bum Train).

* Thus excluding any setup where there is a defined stage area that is separate to a defined audience area.

[MrBunbury]

Oct 19, 2018 12:14:14 GMT @theatremonkey said:

Chickened out of standing this time, but got a lovely seat on the aisle about half way down the arena space in circle 1 for... well I thought £35, but forgot I had that kind £10 credit from "Allujah!" front row change... One happy monkey.

I got a £25 promenade ticket: I hope I will not regret it :-)

[Jan]

Oct 16, 2018 11:37:05 GMT @cardinalpirelli said:

Immersive is now a well known term as regards staging but there are differences in how it is used.

1) Where the cast and audience share the same space* but the audience are not acknowledged.
2) Where the cast and audience share the same space* and the audience are acknowledged but not expected to respond.
3) Where the cast and audience share the same space* and the audience are both acknowledged and expected to respond.
4) Where technology creates a world in which the audience is placed, through video, audio, VR etc. This may or may not involve live actors.

I'm sure there are more but that's a basic rundown. The use of the term is very wide, as you can see, and is used for anything from basic promenade performances to the audience being the main performer (something like You Me Bum Bum Train).

* Thus excluding any setup where there is a defined stage area that is separate to a defined audience area.

Pity the term is so broad because it’s (3) we want to identify and avoid.

There was hardly any queue for the public booking today. I wonder how this theatre is doing, financially and in terms of audience.

[Deleted]

I used my £10 credit on my Alys Always ticket. I would like to go for an actual seat this time, I think; I'm not very tall so I don't like to be moved around a space. Nothing cheaper than £25 at the moment (is it just me or is gallery 3 completely off sale but with an implication they might open it up for sale later?) so I'll have to think about it. Did anyone sit in Gallery 1 row DD for Caesar? I can't imagine an overhang being an issue, but there's a helluva price different from £25 to £95 so I am naturally suspicious.

[oxfordsimon]

Have they announced anything other than the title, the director, the design team and 'immersive'?

[Deleted]

Cast announced

Not, it has to be said, the same level of big-name cast they had for Julius Caesar. Gwendoline Christie sounds like great casting for Titania though.

[Deleted]

Oooh, I do love me some Oliver Chris though. I bet he knows his way around a boudoir.

And Felicity Montagu too! She's always great value. David Moorst is great as well, he almost stole 'Allelujah!'

Consider me excited.

[Deleted]

Gwendoline Christie is going to be great as Titania, but - and yes, I know it's a *much* smaller role - Gwendoline Christie as HIPPOLYTA genuinely has me all aquiver.

[Deleted]

She's fabulous. I hope they give her a better frock for the actual show though.

[happytobehere]

I’m slightly confused about how this ‘interactive’ aspect will work- I never saw JC last time, do the audience literally follow the performers around? Is it actually set in the theatre or do you wander about anywhere? If so, does it really matter what seats you buy- surely you could just move yourself somewhere better?

Sorry for all the questions, I only ask because I’ve never been to this theatre before and I really like Midsummer Night’s Dream so I don’t want to miss out on a potentially really interesting adaptation!

[Deleted]

For Julius Caesar, if you had a seat in any of the galleries, that was your seat and that was where you sat. The pit had no seats whatsoever and that was where the action happened. Staging blocks would rise out of the floor (so sometimes you'd be shoved out of your space to make room for a piece of staging to appear in front of you, and other times you'd find the stage in front of you disappearing and then there'd be a large empty space that would inevitably immediately be filled by much taller people) and you had full freedom to walk around the pit if you wanted to and, indeed, if you could get through the crowd.

[Deleted]

Oooh smashing. I hope that means I'll get to touch up see Oliver Chris.

[NeilVHughes]

For JC all the seats were removed from the stalls and everyone stood and were free to move around.

There was minimal staging and the actors moved around within the space, sometimes you could be stood right next to the action at other times you could be further away, this could be minimised with how fast you react to the change in location.

Having done the promenade and the gallery, I personally preferred being seated but there is a particular feeling of being one of the crowd which may not be as strong in MND.

[happytobehere]

Feb 21, 2019 11:01:53 GMT @baemax said:

For Julius Caesar, if you had a seat in any of the galleries, that was your seat and that was where you sat. The pit had no seats whatsoever and that was where the action happened. Staging blocks would rise out of the floor (so sometimes you'd be shoved out of your space to make room for a piece of staging to appear in front of you, and other times you'd find the stage in front of you disappearing and then there'd be a large empty space that would inevitably immediately be filled by much taller people) and you had full freedom to walk around the pit if you wanted to and, indeed, if you could get through the crowd.

So do you miss any of the action if you’re sitting in the galleries then?

[Deleted]

Probably not, I think the pit is for people who want to get up close and feel involved but the galleries are for the people who want to sit down and actually see everything.