Plays most often deal with heightened circumstances – we encounter a normal person in extraordinary circumstances. We see their journey, that particular slice of their life because it is full of action and obstacles and there are choices to be made by the character. The meaning is derived from how the characters act and how we, the audience, respond to their actions.
In interactive work we aim to put the audience in the position of the character. In my work I create narrative frameworks for audiences to move within, to propel them through exciting circumstances and experience the story. They co-author the narrative through their actions. The meaning is derived from the choices they, as themselves, make in these extraordinary situations.
It is a scary vulnerable place to make from. As a maker you have to relinquish some control but in return the audience provides a rich ever changing tapestry of co-authors who can and will surprise and delight with what they bring to the piece. Meaning is derived through their actions within a carefully crafted framework.
