The immersive drama "Money World" version 2.0 premiered in Shanghai last night. Following the critical acclaim of version 1.0, the show has returned from a new upgrade, once again introducing the audience to the "world of money".
Photo: Courtesy of the organizers of "Money World"
Performance "expansion", stage "power-up"
Since its premiere at the end of 2019, the 1.0 version of "Money World" has been performed in Shanghai Jing'an Clutch Space and Foshan Grand Theatre for a total of 18 months, and the venue is full. In order to meet the viewing needs of more audiences, the "Money World" that returned with the new version 2.0 tried to "expand" and upgrade the number of audiences from "10 tables for seven people" to "16 tables for nine people". In such a highly interactive and highly participatory immersive drama, the increase in the number of people is not only a matter of a few more seats, but also puts forward higher requirements for the actor's ability to control the field. At the same time, the increase in the number of viewers brings about an increase in variable factors, making the relationship between the characters more complex, the plot more confusing, the amount of information that the audience needs to deal with also increases, and the sense of experience and participation will be stronger.
In order to create a sense of immersion in greater depth, the crew also "powered up" the stage and added multimedia stage elements. Three circular "vault doors" installations symbolizing the bank's iconic security system of the 20th century were introduced in the center of the stage as important hints and catalysts for historical evolution and plot development. With the expansion of the "wealth" in the hands of the audience and the prosperity of the entire "market", the wooden blackboard used to convey market information on the stage will gradually become a "smart financial system" in the digital era.
The audience "starred" and broke the boundaries
At last night's premiere, veteran audience member Sean was invited to come. During the previous 1.0 performance, he had watched more than 20 performances. Director Li Fangran explained: "Because each audience is our 'starring', their different decisions will promote the change and development of the plot, so each performance is unique. No matter how many times the audience watches it, it will not feel boring. Sean affirmed the director's statement: "The ending of 'World of Money' is certain, but everyone's path and way of looking at the ending will be different every time they arrive at the ending." Even though I already know the ending, I will inevitably urge to 'go up' at the moment of choice. After more than 20 repeated performances, I enjoyed the process of participating in the drama and constantly deepened my understanding of the play. ”
In this round of performances, the crew of "Money World" chose Bowa Plaza next to the Shanghai Jing'an Natural Museum. "We inspected a lot of venues and spaces, and finally chose Bowa Plaza because we felt that the temperament was right." Ms. Tian Yuan, the producer, introduced, "The integration of culture, commerce and tourism has produced the effect of 1+1>2 for both the drama and the venue. ”
On the night of the premiere, the performers strictly implemented epidemic prevention measures, and all cast members and audience members must pass the temperature check, show the health code green code, and clean their hands after alcohol spray disinfection and hand sanitizer before entering. Audiences must wear masks throughout the show. (Xinmin Evening News reporter Wu Xuying)