An Ark: A Groundbreaking Experiential Play
A few weeks ago, I found myself in an unexpected deep gaze with Sir Ian McKellen, who shared an unsettling story about my life — including where I was born and when I would die. Though some details were askew, others resonated so personally that it felt as though he was revealing truths I had never voiced. McKellen’s calm reminder not to panic was hard to take seriously, given the gravity of the moment.
As I blinked away from that intense connection, I was met by the equally piercing eyes of Golda Rosheuvel, who narrated a similar captivating tale. This time, the narrative carried a different emotional weight, yet it echoed that same deep well of wisdom. The diverse performances of Arinzé Kene and Rosie Sheehy pushed the story into darker, more painful territories, but their eye contact grounded me in the shared complexities of human experience.
A New Play at The Shed
This unique combination of storytelling and emotional resonance is what I experienced during a recent showing of An Ark, a new play by writer Simon Stephens, directed by Sarah Frankcom, in collaboration with mixed reality production specialist Todd Eckert. Currently running at The Shed in New York City, this production, produced by Eckert’s Tin Drum, explores the use of augmented reality (AR) glasses to create an immersive experience.
Drawing on Tin Drum’s innovative history of experimental productions, like The Life — featuring performance artist Marina Abramović — and Medusa, the latest work uniquely positions both the actors and the audience into this metaphysical narrative, breaking traditional theatrical boundaries.
A Circular Setup for a Collective Experience
The atmosphere was charged with curiosity as I sat with a small audience in a dim, circular room lit only by a massive glowing orb above. After donning the provided mixed reality glasses, the room’s darkness enveloped us, allowing An Ark’s ethereal cast to come to life, one by one.
McKellen, Rosheuvel, Kene, and Sheehy portray four souls suspended in a liminal space between life and death. As an audience member, you become part of their circle, a newcomer in need of understanding how your own life story intertwines with the universal human experience. The characters share moments from their pasts that echo your own, creating a profound, personal connection.
Marvelous Technology Meets Traditional Performance
Although the cast remains absent physically throughout the performance, the mixed reality technology engages the audience in a compelling manner that feels intimately personal. Marked by a return to traditional theater methods, Frankcom emphasizes the actors’ performances over elaborate set designs. However, through a sophisticated volumetric video system — capturing the actors in a single take with 52 cameras — An Ark achieves a haunting quality, efektively blending technology and artistry.
Rosie Sheehy, Arinzé Kene, Ian McKellen, and Golda Rosheuvel rehearsing together. Image: Tin Drum
The mesmerizing clarity with which An Ark depicts each actor enhances the experience, creating a sensation as though you could reach out and touch them. Yet, this clarity sometimes dissolves into an odd visual warping, lending a ghost-like quality that intertwines seamlessly with the theme of mortality the play explores.
Exploring Shared Humanity
The emotional climax unfolds late in the 47-minute performance, as the characters reflect on their arcs. Audience members, including myself, were left contemplating how much of ourselves we see in these narratives, as well as the potential connections with our fellow attendees.
As we gathered our shoes post-performance — a whimsical requirement of the play — I overheard snippets of conversation that revealed profound communal reflections. Multiple audience members expressed feeling an intimate connection to something larger than themselves, fostering a collective realization about our shared human experience. An Ark serves as a striking example of how augmented reality can elevate the beauty of theatrical art.
You can catch An Ark at The Shed until March 1st. For more details, read the full article here.
Correction, February 10th: An earlier version of this article misattributed An Ark’s production to the Tin Drum Theatre Company. It is Tin Drum, not the Tin Drum Theatre Company.
Image Credit: www.theverge.com
