Ian McKellen appears virtually in UK premiere of mixed reality play
Ian McKellen will star in An Ark, a groundbreaking 'mixed reality' play making its UK premiere at Manchester's Aviva Studios from 27 March to 10 April. Rather than performing live on stage, McKellen will be projected virtually onto smart glasses worn by the audience, creating an intimate theatrical experience without physical actors present. The 47-minute production explores themes of life, death, human connection and grief, representing a significant departure from traditional theatre formats.
The production was filmed in Grenoble with four actors, including McKellen, recorded by 52 cameras in a single take. Audiences wearing the smart glasses see both virtual elements and the real world around them, a distinction Factory International's chief executive John McGrath emphasised as different from virtual reality, which completely obscures physical surroundings. McGrath argued this technology creates an intimate experience comparable to watching a film, with actors appearing to speak directly to viewers, and noted the production debuted in New York earlier this year.
- Ian McKellen stars in mixed reality play but won't appear in person.
- Audiences wear smart glasses to see projected actors on stage.
- UK premiere runs in Manchester from 27 March to 10 April.
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Mixed reality theatre is a new form of theatrical experience that combines virtual and physical elements. Instead of watching actors perform on stage, audiences wear special smart glasses that project the actors onto them whilst still allowing them to see their actual surroundings. This differs from virtual reality, which completely blocks out the real world, creating a more intimate viewing experience.
An Ark is a 47-minute production featuring Ian McKellen and three other actors, all recorded in a single take using 52 cameras. The play was filmed in Grenoble and explores themes of life, death, human connection and grief. This represents a significant departure from traditional theatrical formats where live actors perform in front of audiences.
This technology marks a notable shift in how theatre can be presented and experienced. By allowing audiences to see actors appearing to speak directly to them whilst maintaining awareness of their physical surroundings, mixed reality theatre creates a different kind of intimacy than conventional performances. The production has already been shown elsewhere, and its UK premiere represents an important moment in exploring how performance art might evolve through emerging technology.
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Originally published by The Guardian as “Ian McKellen to star in UK premiere of ‘mixed reality’ play – but not in person”.