Ian McKellen to star in UK premiere of ‘mixed reality’ play – but not in person

Ian McKellen will star in a groundbreaking new play that gets its UK premiere in Manchester next spring. But the veteran actor will not set foot on stage.The Lord of the Rings star is taking part in An Ark, a “mixed reality” play that had its debut in New York earlier this year. Theatregoers are asked to wear smart glasses, which project the actors into the room.John McGrath, the chief executive of Factory International, which is putting on the play, said: “Mixed reality is when you see both the virtual elements of an experience and also the real world around you.”He said it differed from virtual reality because rather than putting on “a set of goggles that exclude the physical reality you’re in”, these glasses “project into the space but also show the real world you are in”.Asked whether McKellen would have any physical role in the play, which will be on at Aviva Studios from 27 March to 10 April, he said: “His virtual presence will be there. He may well come and visit the play but you won’t see the real Ian McKellen performing.”Four actors were filmed by 52 cameras in one take for the play. Photograph: Tin DrumHe said the audience would be satisfied to pay to attend a play where the actors were not there in the flesh. “When people go to see a film, you don’t spend time explaining the lead actors in the film won’t be in the cinema. This is no different,” he said.The 47-minute production is billed as an exploration of life and death, during which “actors share stories about life to make it seem as if they are right before you, offering an intimate reimagining of live theatre. With that technology, actors share stories about how humans grow, connect, and grieve over a life.”While some may think going to the theatre is exciting because you see the actors performing live in front of you, McGrath said mixed reality plays had other benefits. “What you get is the intimacy with the actors, so you feel like they are sitting in front of you and talking directly to you.” He said this created a “very touching personal experience”.Four actors, including McKellen, were filmed by 52 cameras in one take at a studio in the French city of Grenoble. They appear seated just before the viewer as if they are putting on a private show.Ian McKellen takes his turn during filming for the mixed reality play. Photograph: Tin DrumFor the actors, McGrath said, “it is far closer to being in a film than being on stage. It’s one for actors who enjoy a new challenge.”The theatre plans to hold public events to explore the future and ethics of this technology.Factory’s programme for 2027 celebrates 20 years of the organisation. Among the plans is a special production of Philip Glass’s opera Einstein on the Beach.McGrath said: “This be one of the biggest opera performances anywhere in the year – it’s Philip Glass’s 90th birthday year, and this is the first time in 50 years there has been a full new production of it. It will be a way to experience that amazing score in a big, huge warehouse in a way that’s very different to an opera you’d usually see.”He added: “Most of the work in this programme, we are either the world premiere or the UK premiere and we have co-produced it.”