Goethe once said: “You know, on our German stages everyone tries out what he likes.” Freely based on this quotation, the Augsburg State Theater also tries to find creative solutions to keep the play going. Since the plays that were actually planned unfortunately cannot take place over the Easter holidays due to the current Corona pandemic, the Theaterhaus is getting creative and is offering a virtual reality performance for the first time.
The “VR-Theater delivery service”, which was created by the Augsburgers, is intended to ensure that the audience can bring the productions directly to their living rooms.
“With the development of a VR repertoire we want to take digital theatre to a new level. As long as the boards that mean the world are not accessible to our audiences, our “VR theatre delivery service” will provide digital theatre experiences that can be experienced exclusively at home”
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The idea of bringing theatre into the virtual world is nothing new. Already at a previous press conference, the Staatstheater Augsburg announced in May to offer the VR opera production “Orfeo ed Euridice”. Due to the Corona crisis the theatre people have now changed the plan a little bit and bring the theatre world to their audience at home earlier.
At the start there will be the self-production “Judas”. The one-person play was recorded last week in the Goldsmith Chapel St. Anna in Augsburg and is now going out into the world via virtual reality. However, this is only the first piece of a much broader repertoire, which will include further operas and also ballet productions.
Since VR is not yet as widespread as it might be, the Augsburg Theatre has recently purchased 500 VR headsets, which interested viewers living in Augsburg can now receive. The play is recorded directly onto the headsets and can be followed in their own living room.
Due to the Corona crisis, the State Theater is therefore starting a “VR Theater Delivery Service” for the Easter holidays, where spectators residing in Augsburg can watch the play on delivered VR glasses in their own living rooms.
According to the theatre, “Judas” is a freshly made production especially produced for this service, which is adapted to the requirements of 360-degree perspective and artistically implemented in a sophisticated way.
