Methods of Communication

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Second wave theatre makers uncovered the potential fun of providing unique digital methods for audiences to speak back. These were often as simple as using streaming video or a chat function, but other low-cost, simple methods were incorporated. For instance, Natasha Rickman integrated many forms of communication and interactivity into her Romeo and Juliet, including ‘a website, QR codes taking you to video, phone calls with actors, live zoom calls between actor and audience and completely different pathways to an ending’. Even if you have a simple, free program like Zoom, interactive and gamified techniques allow you to add layers with other approaches – including, as Rickman noted, a standard phone call. I discussed Murder Ballad in the Remix (Transmedia) Theatre section, as the performers integrated email and WhatsApp communications as part of their episodic show release. Receiving the WhatsApp notice was similar to opening an Advent Calendar for a small holiday gift. Unfortunately, the emails generally went to my spam folder, which is something you will need to consider if you choose to give your audience important information in this method. Another show I discussed was Creation Theatre’s Antigone, an updated version of Sophocles’ ethical battle between religious duty and the hyper-logical state. Prior to the show, I received an email inviting me to give the company my phone number so they could (potentially) text me during the show; however, Creation Theatre is based in the UK and I am based in Australia, so I did not receive any international texts. This is another important consideration – if you create fully online performances, and you incorporate texts or phone calls, you may have an international audience who, simply due to the cost, cannot be integrated into this aspect of the show. For Murder Ballad, Hot Cousin used WhatsApp, which offers encrypted SMS at no international charge.