Entertainment · Books & Arts · 2 hrs ago
Ian McKellen to appear virtually in Manchester play
Ian McKellen will appear in a mixed-reality play making its UK premiere in Manchester next spring.
He will not perform in person; audiences will see his virtual presence.
Smart glasses will project actors into the theatre while allowing viewers to see the real room around them.
McKellen and three other actors were filmed in one take using 52 cameras in a studio in Grenoble, France.
The 47-minute play explores life, death and human connection through stories told as if the actors were sitting close to each viewer.
It is scheduled at Aviva Studios from 27 March to 10 April.
Factory International plans public events about the technology’s future and ethics alongside the production.
Ian McKellen will appear virtually in An Ark, which is due to have its UK premiere in Manchester next spring.
The mixed-reality play will run at Aviva Studios from 27 March to 10 April.
Audiences will wear smart glasses that show virtual actors alongside the real room.
McKellen was filmed with three other actors in one take using 52 cameras in Grenoble, France.
Factory International chief executive John McGrath said McKellen would not perform in person, though he might visit the play.
- Who
- Ian McKellen and three other actors appear in the play virtually.
- What
- An Ark is a 47-minute mixed-reality play exploring life and death.
- When
- It will run from 27 March to 10 April next spring.
- Where
- Aviva Studios in Manchester; the actors were filmed in Grenoble, France.
- Why
- The play uses mixed-reality technology to create an intimate theatre experience. McGrath said it lets audiences feel as if the actors are sitting in front of them.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
An Ark made its debut in New York.
McKellen and three other actors were filmed in one take by 52 cameras in Grenoble, France.
An Ark is scheduled to run at Aviva Studios in Manchester.
- Play
- An Ark
- Run
- 27 March to 10 April
- Venue
- Aviva Studios, Manchester
- Length
- 47 minutes
- Filming
- 52 cameras in one take, in Grenoble, France
What people are saying
His virtual presence will be there. He may well come and visit the play but you won’t see the real Ian McKellen performing.
Mixed reality is when you see both the virtual elements of an experience and also the real world around you.
Sources
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