Reimagining Shakespeare:
– a unique immersive experience in Romania –
premiered at the International Shakespeare Festival, Craiova
Each edition, a revolution!
This year, International Shakespeare Festival, Craiova premieres a immersive experience unique in Romania, inviting the public in Shakespeare Dimensions – Episode 1. A world where participants will experience The Tempest on an immersive VR journey into the spectacular world that Prospero brings to life. An opportunity to explore a realm where the lines between magic, nature and technology blur, offering a unique insight into Shakespeare's masterpiece.
The immersive cube is a 3D scenographic experiment in virtual space, in which the Shakespearean universe from the play "The Tempest" is entirely generated by technologies of the next century. Supported by NEPI Rockcastle and hosted by Promenada Mall from Bucharest and Craiova, Shakespeare Dimensions is a virtual reality experience that, through the use of cutting-edge video production and projection technologies, combines theatrical performance and artificial intelligence in a creative exercise that transcends the physical limits of what could be perceived and understood on a conventional theater stage. A unique, singular experience of each viewer with technology, a bridge to the past, through the lens of the future, demonstrating the timelessness of Shakespeare's story.
"The story of Shakespeare Dimensions started from the first scene of the play The Tempest. Here the character Prospero is presented as an experienced sorcerer who is aided by a spirit named Ariel. In my vision, Prospero is an IT engineer from a not-too-distant future, and Ariel is a technological assistant like Siri, Alexa, or Google. The storm presented by Shakespeare in the first scene of the play is no longer an illusion created by Prospero with the help of witchcraft, but an immersion in a virtual reality, created with the help of cutting-edge technology.” - said Vlad Drăgulescu, the creator of the concept.
In the immersive cube, the audience will have the opportunity to physically live the experience that the characters Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand and Gonzalo go through at the beginning of the play. So the audience becomes an active observer, an actor in a live version of the first scene of Shakespeare's The Tempest. In just a few minutes, while the experience lasts, the audience will create a perspective on one of Shakespeare's dimensions, that of the fantastic.
„Shakespeare Dimensions” hosts this show and incorporates the magic of today's technology by enveloping the audience in sound and image through an immersive virtual scenography. Seen through the lens of a plausible future, this reinterpretation of Shakespeare's "The Tempest" transposes the play's fundamental themes and explores new aesthetic forms of virtual reality and artificial intelligence. Prospero, with the help of Ariel a form of artificial super intelligence, discovers the "magic" of hyper reality, with the help of which he creates this storm. Metaphorically, we all live today in a digital storm, but this storm contextualized in the Shakespearean universe can be transformed into a work of art that opens the dialogue about the ethical and aesthetic dimensions found in the fusion of performing arts with new technologies.” – Ciprian Făcăeru, immersive installation set designer
Shakespeare Dimensions can be experienced at
- Bucharest, between May 10 and 12 at Promenada Mall,
- In Craiova, during the entire period of the International Shakespeare Festival, Craiova – May 16 – 26 at Promenada Mall
- In Gdansk, Poland, from July 26 to August 4
The duration of the personal immersive experience is 3 minutes.
Access is free, in series of a maximum of 5 spectators.
Upon entering Shakespeare Dimensions the reception team will give a briefing to the spectators, for a full experience. The public will also be warned about the possibility of feeling dizzy.
Shakespeare Dimensions It is designed and produced by:
Ciprian Făcăeru (design of the immersive installation)
Kaustik (technological system production),
Augmented Space Agency (virtual set production)
in partnership with:
International Shakespeare Festival
National Theater Marin Sorescu Craiova
NEPI Rockcastle, Promenada Mall Bucharest, Promenada Mall Craiova
supported by
EPSON
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Being this year in its 30th year of existence, the International Shakespeare Festival, Craiova, will add up to over 300 performances and events and will bring together some of the biggest names of world-class theater directors of the moment, including Robert Wilson, Declan Donnellan, Peter Brook or Robert Lepage.
The program of the International Shakespeare Festival can be consulted here: https://www.shakespearefestival.online/
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Organizers of the International Shakespeare Festival: Shakespeare Foundation, National Theater "Marin Sorescu", Craiova, National University of Theater and Cinematography "ILCaragiale", Bucharest
Funders: Craiova City Hall, Craiova City Council, Ministry of Culture, Dolj County Council, Ministry of Education, Romanian Cultural Institute
Main sponsors: NEPI Rockcastle, Promenada Mall Bucharest, Promenada Mall Craiova
Sponsors: UniCredit Bank, AQUA Carpatica, Epson, Drinks&more
Technology partner: Vodafone Romania
Partners: British Embassy in Bucharest, British Council, UNESCO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, University of Craiova, Faculty of Computer Automation and Electronics, Faculty of Mechanics, Faculty of Horticulture, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Faculty of Letters, University of Medicine and Pharmacy from Craiova, Rotary Probitas, G Architecture
Media partners: TVR 1, Cărturesți, Zile și Nopți