Shakespeare Dimensions – a unique immersive experience in Romania | Music-Dance-Arts

Friday, May 10the first immersive space dedicated to his works will be inaugurated at Promenada Mall Bucharest William Shakespeare – Shakespeare Dimensions – a place where theatrical performance and artificial intelligence (AI) merge, creating a unique virtual reality experience.

In period May 10-12in the time frame 10:00-22:00visitors can experience visual, auditory and olfactory sensations inspired by William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”, thus having the opportunity to explore a realm where the lines between magic, nature and technology blur, offering a unique perspective on the masterpiece of the famous English author .

The immersive installation is an integral part of International Shakespeare Festival which takes place during May 16-26 TO Craiova and will be available in Promenada Craiova throughout the duration of the festival. Access is free and the experience lasts three minutes.

“Shakespeare Dimensions”, supported by NEPI Rockcastle and hosted by Promenada Mall in Bucharest and Craiova, is a 3D scenographic experiment in virtual space. Thus, the theatrical universe is entirely generated by AI technologies with the support of which the physical limits of what could be perceived and understood on a conventional theater stage are overcome. The creators of this project describe it as a singular experience of each viewer with technology, a bridge to the past through the prism of the future, demonstrating the timelessness of Shakespeare’s story.

In the immersive cube, the audience will have the opportunity to physically live the experience that the characters Alonso, Sebastian, Antonio, Ferdinand and Gonzalo go through at the beginning of the play. Thus, the visitor becomes an active observer, an actor in a live version of the first scene of the play.

“The story of Shakespeare Dimensions started from the first scene of the play <>. In the original play, the character Prospero is presented as an experienced sorcerer who is aided by a spirit named Ariel. In our view, Prospero is an IT engineer from a not-too-distant future, and Ariel is a technological assistant like Siri, Alexa or Google. The <> presented by Shakespeare in the first scene of the play is no longer an illusion created by Prospero with the help of witchcraft, but an immersion in a virtual reality, created with the help of cutting-edge technology”, explained Vlad Drăgulescu, the director of the Festival International Shakespeare and the creator of the concept.

“The Shakespeare Dimensions immersive cube is a virtual reality installation, and an interdisciplinary team of digital artists, programmers, scenographers, architects and engineers from <> and <> designed a special video rear projection infrastructure composed of 10 state-of-the-art video projectors and a surround sound system. The 5x5m cube transposes the public into an immersive virtual space composed of 5 projection surfaces designed to give the play “The Storm” new aesthetic forms facilitated by virtual reality and artificial intelligence” – Ciprian Făcăereu, set designer of the immersive installation.

“Supporting this project is not accidental at all because NEPI Rockcastle is actively involved in supporting cultural projects. Through this immersive installation we managed to transpose the classic theatrical work, typical of a theater, in a versatile space like that of a shopping center, frequented by all generations. By placing it in our malls in Bucharest, Craiova and Gdansk (Poland), we manage to draw attention to the Shakespearean cultural universe and translate it into a current language”, said Roxana Baias, Group Head of Marketing NEPI Rockcastle.

“Shakespeare Dimensions” can be experienced for free during:

• May 10-12, in the time interval 10:00-22:00, at Promenada Bucharest (entrance Bdul. Barbu Vacarescu)
• May 17-26, between 10:00 and 22:00, at Promenada Craiova
• July 26 – August 4, between 10:00 and 22:00, at Forum Gdansk, Poland

More details on Shakespeare Dimensions: https://www.shakespearefestival.online/shakespeare-dimensions-episodul-1/

Shakespeare Dimensions is a virtual reality experience that, through the use of cutting-edge video production and projection technologies, combines theatrical performance and artificial intelligence in a creative exercise that transcends the physical limits of what could be perceived and understood on a conventional theater stage. A unique, singular experience of each viewer with technology, a bridge to the past, through the lens of the future, demonstrating the timelessness of Shakespeare’s story.

Access is free, in series of a maximum of 5 spectators.

Shakespeare Dimensions It is designed and produced by:
Ciprian Făcăeru (design of the immersive installation)
Kaustik (technological system production),
Augmented Space Agency (virtual set production)