Exeter Phoenix (UK) and Second Life®, 2007-2008.
2ND LIVE was a programme of Arts Council England funded commissions and ‘Scratch’ events exploring space and event in the Second Life® environment. Stephen acted as curator, creative producer and mentor for the multi-disciplinary programme, which was based at Exeter Phoenix and driven by the questions:
• What can be learnt through the transference of Real Life performance practices into a Second Life context?
• How can we construct space and event in order to exploit the potential of the virtual environment, rather than attempting to mimic everyday dynamics?
The four commissioned works were:
• Third Life, with live artist Richard DeDomenici;
• Viral Duets, with choreographer Niki McCretton and the National Centre for Computer Animation at Bournemouth University;
• A Study in Reflexive Architecture, with virtual and real life architect Jon Brouchoud;
• The Second Death of Caspar Helendale, with computer games researcher Dan Pinchbeck and composer Jessica Curry [restaged with a new architecture by Jon Brouchoud at the Royal Opera House in 2009].
An article by Stephen, 2ND LIVE: Shaping Space and Event in a Virtual World, was published in Contemporary Theatre Review 20:2 (pp. 223-232) in 2010.
Stephen delivered seven papers between 2008-2011 at:
• ‘PSi#14: Interregnum’, University of Copenhagen;
• ‘Site – Art – Audience’, Tramway, Glasgow;
• ‘Performing Presence’, University of Exeter;
• ‘Theatre and Performance Research Association’, University of Plymouth;
• ‘International Conference on Adaptive Architecture’, Building Centre, London;
• ‘From Black Box to Second Life: Theatre and Performance in Virtual Worlds’, University of Hull;
• ‘Symposium on the Dramaturgies of Telematic Theatre’, Central School of Speech and Drama, London.
Images: Stephen Hodge, Jon Brouchoud, Yiannis Katsaris.