Now for something completely different: Theater in Cognito (TIC), a drama group comprising students of computer science, is going to perform Shakespeare’s “Midsummer Night’s Dream” in front of an entirely digital backdrop. The premiere was on Sunday 9th July.
Black flooring and a couple of white dices which the actors will use as seats: These are the only props the drama group will need for their modern staging of Shakespeare’s famous play. On the other hand, though, the technical preparations backstage are considerably more elaborate. For several months now, a ten-person project team studying on the Bachelor program “Digital Media” and led by Professor Rainer Malaka have been programming 3-D effects and animations so that literally at the press of a button the stage can be set to depict a wood or a town, and digital doubles of the actors and actresses will hover over the stage as three-dimensional spirits of the underworld. In addition to all this, the group of some 20 students will intersperse the 90-minute piece with several live interactive music and dance scores they have composed themselves. The group comprises a creative mixture of students studying subjects as widely divergent as art sciences, mechanical engineering, and geography. For the TIC is embedded in the area of General Studies.
“The project is a tremendous challenge for us”, says Lars Grochla, student of computer science. “But it’s loads of fun and we’re learning a lot.” Together with Franz Eggstein, university lecturer and TIC director, the 22-year-old undergraduate is leading the unusual project – which must surely be the only one of its kind in the whole of Germany. It is nothing new for municipal and state theatres to work with digital backdrops: But to have the entire stage setting created digitally is something completely different. Eggstein explains: “Working together with the students puts us in the forefront of this development.” He is convinced that this technology will have a great future because it is possible to produce effects that have never been seen before.
The premiere performance was on Sunday 9th July 2011 in the University Theater Hall alongside the Mensasee. Other performances will be held on 12th, 13th, 15th, 16th, 19th and 20th July. Tickets will be available on the night for €6, reduced price €4. Further information can be obtained at www.theaterincognito.de.
