Chapter 14 Technology as a bridge to Audience Participation

Chapter 14 Technology as a bridge to Audience Participation
The advance in digital technology and internet is likely to contribute on a two-way form of communication which extends beyond polite applause within theatre building. In other words, for theatres internet is becoming the newest method to redefine the relationships with audience and afresh its public images, especially to those new generation theatergoers.
Among the major theaters in Britain the theaters funded by government -and follows its curriculum- and those who does not show considerably large differences in their use of digital technology. The National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic, and Birmingham Repertory Theatre belongs to the former group while Shakespeare's Globe Theatre belongs to the latter.
The former group formed a complex broadband project entitled Stagework, which was commissioned by government. The site provides a lot of informations including an introduction, a plot synopsis and a rehearsal diary. But, yet it does not take full advantage of internet in terms of one-way communication. Metaphor that is invoked is passive and televisual, and takes away the two most important aspects, the liveness and real audience interaction.
On the other hand, Royal Shakespeare Company approached the internet as a method of education and audience interaction, in a quiet different way. The part where they give selective information according to choices selected by audience is very much similar to what former group has done. However the more important aspects these Shakespeare's Globe Theatre has used about internet, was an 'Adopt an Actor' scheme. The scheme involves student groups being assigned to a particular actor for the duration of the rehearsal process, and the process is aired through internet. So the students and audience over the world can follow an actor's experience as they create a role from the first day of the rehearsal to the final performance in the Globe. Although some people view this approach as an evangelical indoctrination, it is more likely an approach that has the potential to instil in the student participants a very clear sense of the purpose and relevance of these ancient words through a personal and private dialogue set up between audience member and actor. Which seems to be a better way to use internet as theatre-audience interaction method.