by Ben Spatz
Physical theater using live bodies will be dead within 200 years, as mediatized versions perfect the ability to simulate anything and everything that theater can do. But this is no cause for sadness, at least not for us. Let those who see theater die mourn for it. Theater will outlive all of us. In fact, the time between now and the death of theater is a golden age. This is the last period in the long life of an aged master. This period will produce the most mature, most powerful, most important work of all.
Here is what the Last Theater must do:
- Work with everything that technology can't yet do.
- Use technology as a physical medium, as a prop.
- Carve into space with our bodies.
- Abandon the proscenium, which is already owned by movies.
- Glory in the last days of physical theater: Be physical.
- Cinematic direction, high pace, high power.
- Take advantage of intensive, samurai-like training.
- Sell without selling out.