Abstract:

The successful screening of the drama Writing in Water by “Theater Above Live” in several cities is an artistic practice of localization of “National Theatre Live” in China. The digital theater has transformed the traditional theater based on “physical live” into “media live”, which not only shapes the audience’s new feeling of theater, but also greatly enhances the theater’s communication power. The groundbreaking form and commercial success of “Writing in Water” undoubtedly carry fundamental implications for the development of the current theatrical visualization in China. However, the success of Writing in Water is a special case which depends largely on the single-line narrative of the story and the simplicity of its form. So, the current technology of visualization does not apply to all kinds of theatrical works. The development of digital theater does not stop here. While we hold expectations for the experimental technology, artists need to be wary of the temptation of capital behind the technology.

Key words: digital theater, National Theatre Live, the drama Writing in Water, drama visualization, Metaverse