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The Meeting An Immersive Theatrical Experience
Based on the 1917 short story "A Dill Pickle" by Katherine Mansfield, "The Meeting" depicts an encounter between a woman named Vera and her former lover, Robert through an immersive virtual reality theatrical experience. This tense yet nostalgic conversation becomes a turning point for Vera as she considers whether to rekindle her relationship with Robert or leave him for the final time. This tale, adapted as a screen and stage play, is the basis for the action and dialogue within "The Meeting''. It was selected for its powerful emotional impact, as well as its classic unity of time, place, and action characteristic, which streamlined the blocking and choreography. This content was then transplanted to the virtual sphere to allow for user participation.
The user takes on the role of Vera, performing as her and speaking her lines aloud. If they have not memorized the lines of the scene, the experience UI can provide visual prompts or professionally acted voiceover lines. The Robert hologram responds to the user's speech, reacting when they speak the correct line. The experience's setting, a lush vintage bar, corresponds to real world objects, allowing the Vera user to sit down at Robert's prompting and share tea, adding a haptic multisensory element to "The Meeting." In every aspect, the design of "The Meeting" invites the user to imagine themself as Vera as they are fully immersed in this critical moment of her life.