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Breaking the fourth wall
The actors do not perform behind an invisible barrier but directly engage with the audience. After the play, a documentary discussion on war, peace, and betrayal follows.
About the project
This online performance was developed through a collaboration between the University for the Creative Arts School of Film, Media & Performing Arts and the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, Ukraine.
This project was supported by funding from UCA’s Internal Research Fund and Knowledge Exchange Fund.
Director and project organiser
Dr. Nataliia Dniprenko (CARA/British Academy Researchers at Risk Fellow, University for the Creative Arts; Associate Professor of Television Directing at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema, and Television University, Ukraine), PhD.
This project is not only a creative collaboration but also a practical component of Dr. Dniprenko’s research on online theatre. Her study explores online theatre as an independent art form rather than merely a genre of theatre or television.
Shakespeare’s Coriolanus and its contemporary relevance
The story of Coriolanus has strong parallels with the ongoing Ukrainian-Russian war. Caius Marcius Coriolanus was a Roman general who destroyed Corioles, a city belonging to the Volsci people. Despite their smaller size, the Volsci bravely resisted the Roman Empire. Similarly, Ukraine continues its fight for independence, supported by the international community, including the United Kingdom.
Scientific context
Innovations
The production explored the interactive relationship between actors and the audience through the screen, utilising live cinema technology. The audience gathered in front of a large screen in a spacious hall, much like in a traditional cinema, yet actively participated in the performance. However, instead of a pre-recorded film, they engaged with live actors who responded to them as characters in the play. The audience took on the role of the Roman people – voting for the consul, participating in battles, and influencing the unfolding events.
The premiere of Coriolanus took place in Irchester on March 26, 2024.
Scientific experiments were conducted to identify and systematise the unique characteristics of online theatre as a new form of artistic communication. These key findings will form the basis of future academic articles analyzing the artistic principles, audience perception, and technological aspects of online theatre.
Creative features
Cross-media interaction
Viewers can access a Telegram channel with instructions for creating paper characters, participating in polls, and influencing elements of the production.
Audience participation
Spectators can turn on their cameras to join battles, vote in Roman elections, or even participate in virtual horse races.
Open finale
The audience determines Coriolanus’s fate using the paper figure they created at the beginning of the performance.
Conclusion
Environmental sustainability
Online theatre reduces its carbon footprint by eliminating the need for travel, venue maintenance, and large-scale stage productions. It enables performances to be created and presented in an environmentally responsible manner, minimising resource consumption.
Global accessibility
Online theatre removes geographical barriers, allowing both audiences and actors from different parts of the world to participate. This format fosters international collaborations, bringing together diverse talents and expanding the reach of performances. With just a mobile device and internet access, theatre becomes accessible anywhere in the world.
Inclusivity
Thanks to its online format, theatre is now accessible to people with limited mobility who may not have the opportunity to visit traditional theatre venues. This opens new possibilities for cultural engagement, making theatre truly inclusive for all.
Researcher and director Nataliia Dniprenko invites artists from all over the world to collaborate!
Let’s unite to create international online performances that the whole world can experience!
A booklet and a video recording have already been published based on this project.
However, it is important to clarify that the recorded material is not an online performance but merely its documentation. Once recorded, it loses its essential characteristics – real-time interaction, immersive experience, and shared presence – that define online theatre as an art form. An online performance exists only in the moment of execution when performers and viewers engage in a simultaneous creative process. A recording can preserve fragments of the event, but it cannot fully convey the unique participatory experience.