A dramaturgy of participation: Participatory rituals, immersive environments, and interactive gameplay in Hotel Medea

Abstract

Ramos and Maravala argue that, in contrast to most immersive theatre practice in the UK, their overnight piece Hotel Medea does not fully focus on fictional representations, neither does it replace a theatrical narrative for a fully interactive game. Rather, it concentrates on the rituals suggested by the Medea myth. The authors discuss why they won’t allow audiences simply to wander around spaces, hoping for a meaningful sequence of events. Instead, through trial and error-especially through error-Maravala and Ramos have found parallel participatory tools that create experiences akin to those themes in the myth of Medea throughout the night, culminating in a shared breakfast at dawn. By casting audience members in specific roles, giving them permission to participate, and constructing a dramaturgy which is audience-centered, they will both surrender to and actively participate in their own customised and memorable experience.