Chiasmic play: haptic theatre performance at the Water's Edge Studio

As new technologies become increasingly integrated into creative practices, combining haptics, theatre, and virtual production opens fresh possibilities for immersive storytelling. To address this, Chiasmic Play was developed as part of the project Haptic Enhancements to Live Theatre and Virtual Production Environments, a collaboration between Scottish Youth Theatre and Abertay University, supported by XR Network+ (EPSRC). The aim was to explore how haptic technologies can deepen emotional resonance and audience connection in hybrid performance spaces.
Performed four times on 4 June 2025 for invited creative-industry guests, Chiasmic Play blended live acting, motion-capture, and virtual environments rendered in Unreal Engine. Two Teslasuits worn by performers synchronised experiences with the two audience members wearing Teslasuits, which was also translated into haptic feedback for the wider audience through custom wearable and environmental haptic devices. Props such as vibrating beanbags and handheld pads allowed audience members to physically feel shifts in mood, tension, and contact—bridging digital and physical worlds through embodied storytelling.
Staged in CoSTAR Realtime Lab’s Virtual Production studio, Chiasmic Play offered a compelling proof of concept, showcasing how virtual production pipelines and haptic interaction can expand the language of haptics in live performances. The project received national attention, with coverage highlighting its innovative fusion of XR technology and performative art (Abertay News, XR Network+).
This work contributes a novel methodology to the field of performance-led haptic research. It underscores the potential of haptics not just as a sensory add-on but as a dramaturgical tool—opening up new possibilities for emotionally immersive, multi-sensory storytelling in both physical and virtual theatre contexts.