Alkestis

Video & Projection Design for Theatre

In Alkestis, in a translation by the Greek scholar Anne Carson, the Queen Alkestis agrees to die in place of her doomed husband, the King Admetus, and in doing so sets off a collective mourning that renders the King inert. Alkestis, the play, is caught somewhere between a tragedy and a comedy, and this production sought to similarly blur the lines between performer and audience member.

The participatory video design cast volunteer audience members as the play’s Chorus, and using live video cameras, projections, and an interactive text generator placed their faces and voices in the playing space. In addition, projected neon text triggered collective audience participation and speech, erasing the line between storyteller and spectator.