CREW

O_Rex

An encabled tragedy. The mythological figure of Oedipus symbolizes modern man and his tragic fate. Oedipus is blind when he can still see and he only starts seeing when he physically blinds himself. He never succeeds in obtaining a central perspective on the world.

In O_Rex the immersive experience is integrated within a classical theatre set-up: one person of the audience is selected to be Oedipus/the immersant. Submerged in a virtual world he undergoes his very own performance while the audience watches from the other side, seeing a different show. The immersant appears to leave the building, he takes to the streets. When he enters again het is clearly living in a different timezone. O_Rex embodies the boundery between reality and fiction, between feeling and thinking, between the self and the world outside.

O_REX was an important step in CREW's experiments with immersive technology. CREW, EDM developed "Robotic Peepholes": this innovative technology allows for mobile computers to become a window to a parallel universe which appears to double the scene. It implied a development of its own tracking system, 3D interface.

Credits

Production: CREW
Concept: Eric Joris
Actors: Carly Wijs, Krijn Hermans
Singer: Maja Janter
Composition: Laura
Technological development and software: EDM & Philippe Bekaert, Vincent Jacobs

Co-production: Vooruit Gent (B), Festival van Vlaanderen, Gent (B), Le Manège/CECN, Mons (B)

With the support of Productiehuis Rotterdam, Rotterdamse Schouwburg (NL) / Dédale en Dicream (FR), Arcadi (FR), Stuk Leuven (B), nOna, Mechelen (B), Spielart Festival, Munchen (D),Technological partners: EDM (Expertise Centrum voor Digitale Media, Universiteit Hasselt, B), Art&D / IBBT (B)