Gonna be a short one today, guys – it’s a busy day! We’ve got a few things for you to check out if you have a minute, though.
Social Media Theatre: British theatre company Goat & Monkey and writer/dramatist/new media dude David Varela recently wrapped up work on the live theatre/social media/interactive botanical mystery The Seed, which unfolded through a series of live performances in London’s Sussex Gardens, a treasure hunt and a fictional botanist named Helen. In this article, Varela reflects on the experience of assuming Helen’s fictional online personality, which existed online and interacted with fans through a meticulously maintained Facebook account. We’re always intrigued when alternate reality gaming (ARG) experiences combine with theatre and allow an online component to develop as an additional part of its narrative, particularly when it is done with commitment and success. You can read the Guardian‘s review of The Seed here.
cummings in song: San Fransisco’s Tin Hat has gone and written a 17-song cycle based on the poetry of e.e. cummings titled the rain is a handsome animal. I’m not always as enamoured with musical/literary experiments as the author of this blog post highlighting the album, but after a perfunctory listen on the album’s Amazon page, I’m convinced that they’ve done a pretty great job of capturing not only the sputtery, rhythmic and breathless lyricism of cummings’ words, but also the aura that each poems inhabits. It might fit nicely in your record collection if you like Rasputina, TuNeYaRds or Bjork. You can listen/buy here.
Tumblr of the Week: I was not even remotely what you’d classify a “gamer” growing up (Police Quest and Duck Hunt were pretty much my peak) but I used to read my brother’s magazines just to see the hilarious and sometimes very weird ads that would run for new releases. There is a delightful, fuzzy 90’s-ness about the whole enterprise that is insanely comforting. The people behind the Tumblr Do Go On know this feeling and have collected scans and various retro pieces from video game mags of yore, including Nintendo Power and Playstation. Some of the images are interesting and some are….well, dated. Hilariously so. Here’s an example of what you’ll see. Virtual reality!
