Mimetic

theatre is

based on

Role Play & Character

But most of all

disbelief

on the willing suspension of

In all societies, at all times. the mask has existed as a way of disguising and repurposing identity.

Mask. Masque. Masquerading The Masked Ball.

Masking one identity/with another is the origins of the avatar.

across its entire history, theatre has pursued the vitality of

participation

Each new culture, ideology and religion has created drama to make sense of itself

like the internet

Wakefield

Of all the great amphitheatres of the world from The Greek Theatre at Epidaurus, Shakespeare’s Globe and the Opera House at La Scala Milan

One place stands out

Written in 1576, The Second Sheperd’s Play is one of the jewels of Medieval Theatre. A local monk, now known as the Wakefield Master led a group of up to a hundred others to write and perform a series of dramas, which innovated on the story of Christ’s crucifixion.

It was set in a virtual world, somewhere between Wakefield and Galilee. References to local landmarks like Horbury Shrogs or the parched fields of Jerusalem. It was set in the present tense 1570 England and in the past in Bethlehem 2BC.

The plays were collectively authored and a mass of villagers participated in the production. Wagons drew the various actors around the town to waiting audiences, who recognised both the conceit, the comedy and the wider connection to Christ's Passion.

Latterly, the cycle was subject to censorship by the protestant authorities before being discontinued completely. The Wakefield Master and his collective of citizen-authors, is the most compelling example of dramatic authorship in the era before Shakespeare.

But that was then and this is now

Lonely Girl 15

Lonelygirl15 was an interactive web-based video series which began in June 2006, and ended on August 1, 2008. The show focuses on the life of a fictional teenage girl named Bree, whose username is the lonelygirl15. After the fictional status of the show was revealed in September 06, the show evolved into a multi-character show including video blogs and action sequences, with a complex story involving “trait positive girls" who are sought by an evil organization known as The Order.

Kate Modern

2007 KateModern is set in East London, England, and bears many

similarities to its parent series – Lonely Girl. Both Kate and Bree

are avid video bloggers and carry a dark secret.

KateModern was the second interactive online series developed by LG15 Studios. Like lonelygirl15,

KateModern included product integration as an original marketing solution. KateModern was one of

the first truly interactive show online, utilising the tools available

on Bebo to help fans interact.

ARG - The Lost Ring

2009. The Lost Ring is centered on helping a fictional amnesiac woman named Ariadne discover her identity, was a promotional vehicle for this summer's Beijing Olympics. Sponsored by McDonalds

So we live in an era of Facebook, flickr and alternative reality games.

Drama can now use all the interactive possibilities of web 2.0.

But I am not yet convinced how different any of this is. So we are gathered here in Manchester not so far from Wakefield to discuss the very medieval concept of:

Collective authorship Participative Media Role Playing

Citizen journalism Creative Wikis

… and…

….the fictional role play of second lives

Chaired by Stuart Cosgrove

James Kirkham Managing Partner, Holler

Dan Hon Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder, Six to Start

Damien Smith Partner ISO

David Jacklin Chief Producer Littleloud