Scaling Liveness in Participatory Experiences

SSHRC Insight grant  ; Lynn Hughes (Intermedia, Studio Arts, Concordia -PI), Bart Simon (Sociology, Concordia- Co-applicant), Noah Drew (Theatre, Concordia -collaborator), Jorge Ramos (Co-Director ZU -UK theatre company, London, UK -Post Doc), Jade Maravala (ZU-UK theatre company, London, UK- collaborator), Jaakko Stenros ( University of Tampere, Finland -collaborator).

This research-creation program looks at ”liveness” across three different but neighboring practices: participatory theatre, larps (Live action role playing games) and digital-physical games (games that are digital but focus on the body and sociality rather than the screen). In each case ‘liveness’ is at the centre of the experience and is what makes it compelling, but the type of liveness is different in each case. The theatrical experience involves professional actors (mixed with participants from the general public). Digital-physical games focus on physical interaction between untrained participants, where the interaction is structured by digital technology in one way or another. The focus in larps is on larger groups of people, who are not trained as actors, acting out a complex story together -and larps rarely depend on technology to structure the experience.