What does the theatre of the future look like? That question Odeon De Spiegel Theatres posed to the FMT Workforce, the online brainstorming environment of our partner Fast Moving Targets. We also delivered the message here.
Odeon and De Spiegel are two theatres in Zwolle. Well-run theatres, but always looking for the new possibilities offered by new techniques and developments. In the short term, but also in the long term. We extract 9 expected and unexpected demands from all answers:
1: The theatre of the future broadens its definition of theatre
Is a theatre a place for performances? Or is a theatre also a meeting place and a place for deepening? A theatre brings people together around themes. Theatre performances remain very important, but there should also be space for lively information, inspiration, communication and entertainment.
2: The theatre of the future is open
As a rule, theatres centre on performances. Just as in pop venues, concerts are central. And the theatre or venue is instrumental, supportive. But in doing so, a venue does itself disservice. Because inside a theatre, expert people work, people with passion for their profession. That expertise and passion should be more visible. On the website, via newsletters, via social media. Give a theatre more character and visibility with that, it helps to connect with the audience and can play an important role in marketing.
In addition, make the passion of the audience visible. Make sure a theatre is as alive online as it is offline. Make the theatre's story bigger and broader.
And also be open in the literal sense. Offer the theatre during off-peak hours or on evenings without programming for Meetups and other activities that belong in 'a house of depth' and help broaden audiences.
3: The theatre of the future is special for the public
Perhaps the most important conclusion that runs through almost all the Workforce's responses: engage audiences by taking into account their perception, desires, profile as a theatre lover, living situation and opinion, and accommodate them accordingly, including through smart use of new media.
4: The theatre of the future is a platform
Offer the audience a platform to give their opinion on a particular performance both before and after, and have some of them report back on social media in exchange for a chance to win free tickets. In this way, you not only offer the audience an opportunity to give their opinion but also use this opinion to attract new visitors from their circle of friends.
In doing so, encourage audiences to share material about particular performances among their circle of friends. This can be done by taking their own good-quality photos and videos during performances and making them available to audiences on an online page where they can share with one click. In fact, if photos and videos are allowed to be taken by visitors of certain performances, these recordings are often of poor quality due to the dark hall and the place where the visitor is sitting or standing. By making audiovisual clips available yourself, you make sharing easier.
5: The theatre of the future gives audiences a voice
A powerful way to engage audiences is obviously to give them a say; people like to watch for their own tastes and appreciate seeing a theatre do something with their suggestions. Let people vote which artist/company they would like to see. There are plenty of internet platforms that can help implement this, such as the Dutch liveondemand.com.
In addition, experiment with offering an opportunity for the audience to put together a show. You then make clever use of the knowledge and expertise visitors have about the theatre and give them the opportunity to be creative with their passion. You can determine the level of participation.
6: The theatre of the future does the unthinkable: interaction!
It is also possible to experiment with providing interaction during performances, such as the smartphone with app as a platform for visitors to influence the proceedings during a performance. However, this should be handled with care; people are not used to 'non-linear' theatre and so this will feel a bit uncomfortable for many people. Therefore, inform them clearly in advance that this is a very different form of theatre.
7: The theatre of the future is a broad cultural guide
Of course, engaging the audience is important for the theatre of the future. But a theatre must also have character, must also have charisma. That comes from the expertise of programmers etc. That expertise is visible through on-stage selection, but it can have a much wider role. Increase the visibility of programmers etc. Let them be a cultural guide in a broad sense.
That guide function gets better when a theatre starts working properly with profiles. Register your theatre-goer's tastes and provide tailored tips and offers. Make sure that all information of the visitor who buys a ticket is stored. If he wants to. But make it clear what the added value is. Better information, earlier information, possibility of discounts, tips on going to the theatre, etc.
8: The theatre of the future is flexible
The theatre of the future is the theatre but that adapts to the performance or activity in terms of look and feel. Thanks to sliding panels, thanks to digital projections, thanks to augmented reality. And, as mentioned above, in terms of programming. Low-cost experimentation with forms and audiences.
9: The theatre of the future explores
A theatre of the future explores and experiments. Has room for short-term plans in addition to necessary long-term programming. To be current, to be dynamic. And is permanently engaged in finding and engaging new and different audiences.
- Look specifically for performances and performances that are close to target groups that would otherwise (perhaps) bypass your theatre, but are among your potential visitors. A lecture by André Kuipers, for example.
- Play with formats known to attract a wide audience. And use this to translate to the character of the theatre.
- Meet target groups that do not normally come to your theatre by adapting programming times and other things to their living situation. Different times, with childcare, etc.
- Learn from festivals. An event like Lowlands sees an opportunity to attract large groups of young people to theatre, ballet, etc. through the sandwich formula. Apply that too.
- Find your audience. Where does your potential audience come from? Be active there. Pop up theatre.
View all answers from the FMT Workforce here.
The FMT Workforce stands for outside innovation. (Relative) outsiders consider a question or issue. In some cases they will come up with proposals that are already alive (validation has value too!), in other cases with a fresh perspective or with good proposals from another sector.
Would you also like to use FMT Workforce? Get in touch with Willem-Jan Draper
English (UK) 
Nederlands 
Français 