JOURNAL ARTICLE

Exploring The Library at Night: A Conversation about Robert Lepage's VR Experience in Toronto.

  • Published In: Theatre Research in Canada, 2023, v. 44, n. 2. P. 267 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: HUGHES, SHANNON; KLIMEK, CAROLINE; LYNCH, SIGNY 3 of 3

Abstract

This article presents a multidisciplinary conversation among three scholars analyzing Robert Lepage’s immersive virtual reality (VR) experience *The Library at Night*, which premiered in Toronto in 2022 and was produced by Lighthouse Immersive. Inspired by Alberto Manguel’s book of the same name, the VR piece guides audiences through virtual explorations of iconic libraries, blending real and imagined spaces within a carefully designed aesthetic environment. The authors discuss the show’s limited spectator agency, its Eurocentric and elitist selection of libraries, and its alignment with Enlightenment and colonialist worldviews, while also reflecting on the challenges and possibilities of VR as a medium for immersive theatre. Additionally, they situate the work within the broader context of the experience economy in the arts, contrasting it with other immersive productions by Lighthouse Immersive and community-based theatrical approaches that emphasize collectivism and accessibility.

Additional Information

  • Source:Theatre Research in Canada. 2023/09, Vol. 44, Issue 2, p267
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Biography
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:1196-1198
  • DOI:10.3138/tric-2023-0017
  • Accession Number:174852858
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