Research of Immersive Theatre from Audience Perspective

Abstract

Immersive theatre redefines traditional theatre audience engagement by transforming spectators into active participants within highly dynamic and multi-sensory performance environments. This paper targeting audiences' experience and perception, explores the relationship between audiences and immersive theatrical productions, by drawing on Gordon Calleja's Player Involvement Model (PIM) and Josephine Machon's conceptualization of immersion, focusing on the mechanisms through which immersive theatre achieves heightened levels of spatial, narrative, sensory, shared, ludic, and affective involvement. this study examines the interplay of physical design, storytelling, and audience agency in productions such as Sleep No More, The Burnt City, and Viola's Room. The findings showed audience's experience plays a crucial role in immersive theatre, which can define the success of immersive theatre from many perspectives. Moreover, immersive theatre has the potential to further redefine storytelling and artistic expression, creating profound and individualised audience engagements in the future.