The British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England, is not only known for its plays and Shakespearean concepts. Recently, in partnership with Intel and in collaboration with The Imaginarium Studios, they were able to create a digital avatar of Ariel for the first time.
Using cutting edge and advanced technology, Intel was able to render a character digitally and in real-time format. They were then able to project the image on stage during a live performance, cites Business Wire.
They no longer need actors and aspiring performers to float around on stage for Shakespeare's "The Tempest." Ariel, the spirit in the play that serves the magician Prospero, is now a digital enhancement for the performance.
This eliminates the need of floating with wires and smoke screens during a live performance. Plus, it is a much safer option. The concept came aobut when RSC director Gregory Doran was inspired by the lighting effects in the Jacobean masques. He wanted to do something for the theater and also thought that Shakespeare would have wanted to do something similar.
This is the first time that The Royal Shakespeare Company is joining forces with a Tech company like Intel and The Imaginarium Studios. By capturing the actor's movements and expressions, they were able to transfer it to the stage. Although this kind of technology is not new as it is always used in movies and games, this is entirely new for performances on stage.
Using The Imaginarium's digital inventiveness and the technological prowess of Intel, the Company was able to create a production that would excite the audience. It is described as a human digital interaction that gives the feeling of Ariel being alive but at the same time retains the feel of a theater performance.
The company's work using live theater reaches over half a million people every year through their education work and class room work shops.
