Short answer

Designers should critically evaluate how digital media has influenced audience expectations of presence and engagement, and intentionally design live experiences that either meet, challenge, or creatively integrate these new perceptions.

Field: Classic Design
Source: Theatre Research International (2023)
Method: Literature Review and Theoretical Analysis
Evidence: Moderate effect

The widespread adoption of digital platforms during the pandemic has fundamentally altered audience expectations regarding presence and engagement in live arts, blurring the lines between traditional performance and mediated experiences. This classic design research insight is drawn from a 2023 study published in Theatre Research International. Using Literature review and theoretical analysis, researchers explored how this design variable affects real-world outcomes. The key design takeaway: Designers should critically evaluate how digital media has influenced audience expectations of presence and engagement, and intentionally design live experiences that either meet, challenge, or creatively integrate these new perceptions.

Study

Classic DesignRecentModerate effect

Digital Platforms Reshape Expectations of Live Performance Presence

Theatre Research International · 2023

Key Findings

01The debate on physical presence in theatre, once academic, became a practical concern during the pandemic.
02Digital performance has introduced new forms of 'presence' and engagement that influence post-pandemic expectations.
03Understanding the history of media and theatre is crucial for interpreting digitally enhanced performance.

Application

Design takeaway

How to apply

When designing a live performance, consider how elements like pre-show digital content, interactive digital components during the show, or post-show digital engagement might influence the audience's perception of the 'live' experience.

Project actions

01Consider how your design project can address the tension between traditional live performance and digital influences.
02Research how different media (film, theatre, gaming) have historically influenced each other's aesthetics and audience expectations.

Method & Evidence

AimHow have shifts in digital performance during the pandemic altered the perceived centrality of physical presence in theatrical experiences, and what are the implications for future live arts?

MethodLiterature Review and Theoretical Analysis

ProcedureThe research reviews existing scholarly debates on theatrical presence and analyzes how the forced shift to digital performance during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted these notions. It draws connections between theatre, film, and media history to interpret contemporary digital performance experiences.

ContextPerforming Arts and Digital Media

Variables

IVShift to digital performance platforms during the pandemic

DVPerceptions of theatrical presence and audience expectations

Strengths & Limitations

Strengths

+Timely analysis of a significant cultural shift.
+Connects contemporary issues to historical media and performance studies.

Limitations

The findings are based on a specific period (the pandemic) and may not fully represent long-term shifts in audience perception.

Reliability & validity

The study's validity lies in its synthesis of established theories with recent events. Reliability is moderate, as audience perceptions can be subjective and vary widely.

Think critically

To what extent does the 'presence' offered by digital media truly substitute for, or merely complement, the experience of physical presence in live performance?

Design Principles

"Audience expectations of presence are fluid and can be reshaped by technological shifts and mediated experiences."

Designers and creators in the performing arts must now consider how digital precedents influence audience perception of 'live' events. This includes understanding how to integrate or contrast digital elements to meet evolving expectations for immersion, interactivity, and accessibility.

What This Means for Your Design

Because everyone watched performances online during the pandemic, people now expect live shows to be more like digital ones, with new ways to feel involved or see things differently.

How to use in your project

1.Reference this study when discussing how audience expectations have evolved, particularly if your design project involves digital elements or aims to create a specific type of 'presence' for the user.

Add to My Project

Quick Cite

Paragraph starter

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly altered audience perceptions of presence in live arts, as digital platforms became primary modes of engagement. This shift has created new expectations for interactivity and mediated experiences that designers of live events must now consider, moving beyond traditional notions of physical embodiment to incorporate elements that resonate with digitally-influenced audiences.

Source

Theatre Research International

Digital Performance and Its Discontents (or, Problems of Presence in Pandemic Performance)

journal · 2023

View source

Questions About This Research

What does the research say about digital platforms reshape expectations of live performance presence?: Designers should critically evaluate how digital media has influenced audience expectations of presence and engagement, and intentionally design live experiences that either meet, challenge, or creatively integrate these new perceptions. Evidence: Theatre Research International (2023).
Why does "Digital Platforms Reshape Expectations of Live Performance Presence" matter for design?: Designers and creators in the performing arts must now consider how digital precedents influence audience perception of 'live' events. This includes understanding how to integrate or contrast digital elements to meet evolving expectations for immersion, interactivity, and accessibility.
How can designers apply this research?: Designers should critically evaluate how digital media has influenced audience expectations of presence and engagement, and intentionally design live experiences that either meet, challenge, or creatively integrate these new perceptions.
What were the main findings?: The debate on physical presence in theatre, once academic, became a practical concern during the pandemic.. Digital performance has introduced new forms of 'presence' and engagement that influence post-pandemic expectations.. Understanding the history of media and theatre is crucial for interpreting digitally enhanced performance.
What research method was used?: Literature Review and Theoretical Analysis.
How strong is the evidence?: Evidence strength is rated Moderate effect, based on a 2023 journal from Theatre Research International.
What should I do differently in my next project?: When designing a live performance, consider how elements like pre-show digital content, interactive digital components during the show, or post-show digital engagement might influence the audience's perception of the 'live' experience.
What are the limitations?: The study is primarily theoretical and relies on existing scholarship rather than new empirical data collection on audience reception.