Photographs: Facebook Theater © Ivo Dimchev
Facebook Theatre
"I've always found it very healthy to try out and exploit new formats and ways of doing, thinking or writing theatre. To me, social networks manage to accumulate inexhaustible and unique dramaturgical material. Since years I've been asking myself whether it's possible, people's natural experience of dealing with them to be implanted and exercised in a theatrical context that is limited in time and space." - Ivo Dimchev.
In Facebook Theater, Ivo Dimchev continues his quest for interaction with the audience. In this production, he uses the popular medium of Facebook as a tool – he lets the audience enter live comments on Facebook, which a dramaturge then turns into dialogues. These dialogues are then sent straight to the performers. This gives rise to an intense interaction between performers and audience: not only does the audience literally supply what the actors have to say, but equally their view of what they are seeing and their opinion of it can also be integrated. This makes for an odd game, a condensation of time, you might say – the performers will continuously adapt to the audience's suggestions and tastes. So what exactly is seen every time Facebook Theater is performed remains a surprise.
In Facebook Theater, Ivo Dimchev continues his quest for interaction with the audience. In this production, he uses the popular medium of Facebook as a tool – he lets the audience enter live comments on Facebook, which a dramaturge then turns into dialogues. These dialogues are then sent straight to the performers. This gives rise to an intense interaction between performers and audience: not only does the audience literally supply what the actors have to say, but equally their view of what they are seeing and their opinion of it can also be integrated. This makes for an odd game, a condensation of time, you might say – the performers will continuously adapt to the audience's suggestions and tastes. So what exactly is seen every time Facebook Theater is performed remains a surprise.
CREDITS
Concept and choreography
Ivo Dimchev
Performed by
Ivo Dimchev
Karl Rummel
Jiyoon Jeong
Text by the audience
Production
Humarts
Distribution
Something Great
Co-production
Kaaitheater
ImpulsTanz