Single Thread’s Collider: Immersive VR Suggests the Possibilities of Theatre
In a moment where Zoom meetings, doom-scrolling, and our digital worlds seem repetitive as ever, Single Thread Theatre Company’s production of Collider presents a profoundly innovative way to bring digital theatre to Canadian audiences. On May 26th, Single Thread, a site-specific company based in Kingston and Vancouver presented Collider, which is impressively Canada’s first virtual reality (VR) theatrical performance. The team, who reside all over Canada, created the piece entirely remotely over the last few months. The premise of Collider was such; users were invited to enter a secret laboratory, which had been closed off for decades. Inside this secret laboratory, a slew of quirky and curious entities was presented by Nita Bowerman, Howard Dai, Sydney Doberstein, Charles Douglas, Nicole Eun-Ju Bell, and fellow KTA writer Stephanie Fung.
It is worth noting that Collider was entirely devised, meaning it was created collaboratively from the ground up. The cast and crew spent 2 months exploring movements and possibilities in AltSpace. From this, the creative team took note of movements and ideas that worked well that ultimately created a sequence of events that made it to the final show. This approach is fascinating because it’s a Cast first approach, which is the exact opposite of how theatre is traditionally created. Furthermore, this approach was incredibly anti-hierarchical, something the entire team is proud of. Ensemble-member Stephanie Fung noted how in one of their AltSpace sessions “ he sound designer dropped in on a rehearsal and made up some music on the spot for us to dance to (for fun and exploration), but that ended up being the song we danced to at the end”. Experiencing Collider withthis knowledge of the rehearsal and creation process makes the performance that much more impressive.
Before the performance, users were asked to download AltspaceVR, a free platform where the VR experience is viewed on. Of course, VR experiences come with a range of technological inequities, namely, the reality that not every user will have the same understanding and experiences in VR.
However, the Collider co-artistic lead Chloe Payne provided thorough onboarding instructions for VR headset, Mac, and Windows users both before the performance and at the beginning of the performance. Furthermore, the Collider team was available throughout the performance for assistance, making the experience and performance highly accessible.
While users were free to explore the VR space, the show’s narrative arc prompted a designated path throughout the magnificently designed VR world. Co-created by Alex Dault and Kaelyn Lindquist, the set and production design within the space were beyond impressive and proved how VR sets sometimes are even more extravagant and imaginative than in real life since there are no physical limitations to these settings. One particular moment where the set design stood out was in the image pictured above, where users were invited to enter this new setting. The set design was so extraordinary and impressive, and once again proved how elements of VR theatre, such as sets, are often more creative and grand than in-person theatre. When I was immersed in AltSpace in this setting, I felt fully immersed in Collider, in the same way, I eagerly miss being immersed in a real-life theatrical production in a dark room. Additionally, Joshua Doerksen’s sound design throughout the show was quite spectacular, proving how certain forms of expression (such as sound design) can seamlessly be transferred across mediums.
Single Thread’s commitment to casting performers who were well-versed in movement was evident. Often within digital performance, and specifically animated performances, actors focus heavily on voice acting and minimize the effectiveness of their physical movements. Yet, within Collider the sleek and sophisticated movements of the actors strongly enhanced the quality of the production. Something as small as being able to see and hear the breathing of the characters throughout the show created a sense of intimacy for users and proved the attention to detail that the performers carried throughout the performance. This should not be surprising as Payne has extensive experience in puppetry, physical theatre, and mask.
What was particularly striking about Collider is the potential of virtual theatre that was revealed through the performance. Collider made the idea of social gatherings to experience theatre possible, and, in a way, none of us could have imagined a year ago. What VR theatre offers that differs itself from Zoom Theatre or filmed theatre is the spontaneity that live performance offers. Before the show, users were able to mingle and socialize with other attendees in a way that one would naturally do with an in-person show.
The sense of immersiveness was incredibly exciting and engaging as a user. I loved how I was prompted on where to go within AltSpace, yet I could also explore these beautiful digital worlds concurrently. For example, at one point in the show, I was prompted to head through a portal, where my avatar fell through a series of flights of stairs. This type of moment would be impossible in real life, once again suggesting the possibilities of VR theatre, including the spontaneity, the sense of social gathering, and the possibilities of digital theatre that would not be possible in real life.
If theatre attempts to be an escape, then VR theatre is escapist to the max. For 60 minutes, I was legitimately immersed in this digital world with zero distractions. Collider was a wonderful performance, full of escapism, creativity, collaboration, and most of all, a sense of innovation that will likely only continue to grow in the coming future.
For those hoping to experience Collider, the performance is available from May 28 – June 5 at the rEvolver Festival. Ticket info can be found at www.singlethread.ca/collider.