CTRL + ALT + PLAY 2024

Innovation:Lab's Prototype Event

30 november - Utrecht | De Paardenkathedraal

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CTRL+ALT+PLAY: The Prototype Event in Technology, Performing Arts and Science is Back!

After a groundbreaking edition last year, Innovation:Lab's prototype event, CTRL+ALT+PLAY, is returning! This year, on November 30th, De Paardenkathedraal, De Berenkuil, and De Snijzaal in Utrecht-Oost (Hoefijzerstraat) will once again be the platforms for technology, performing arts, and science. As Theaterkrant wrote last year: “CTRL+ALT+PLAY leaves you hungry and curious for even more space, even more depth.” Yes! We heard you!

Early Bird Tickets Now Available Early Bird tickets for CTRL+ALT+PLAY 2024 are now on sale, with a limited number available.

The early bird ticket is a general admission ticket. This ticket gives you access to the ongoing program which includes Installations, talks and behind the scenes insights. Tickets for specific performances will be sold separately at the door of De Paardenkathedraal on November 30th or will be presold separately via our online ticketshop prior to the event.

This year’s CTRL+ALT+PLAY is ready to launch with a dynamic, diverse lineup of artists and genres, blending technology, performing arts, and science. As a prototype event, CTRL+ALT+PLAY will push the boundaries of creativity even more, giving visitors hands-on opportunities to engage with technology and art. Expect continuous programming, behind-the-scenes insights, and interactive moments where you become part of the technology.

The following artists have already been confirmed:

Pulse

In Pulse, Innovation:Lab and Nationaal Opera &Ballet, explores the intersection of human emotion and artificial intelligence (AI). This performance features a live Ballet-dancer wearing a motion capture suit, whose movements are translated into data. The AI interprets this data in real-time, generating dynamic visuals that mirror and enhance the performer’s emotional state. This collaborative interaction between humans, AI, and the audience pushes the boundaries of co-creation, exploring the ways technology can serve human expression.

About the Technology

Pulse relies on motion capture technology to capture the dancer’s movements, converting physical expression into digital data. This data is processed by AI, which translates it into an evolving visual landscape, where visuals respond in real-time to the dancer’s movements. The audience is also invited to participate, making the experience interactive and blurring the lines between spectator and performer. The use of AI challenges the traditional limits of performance art by integrating machine intelligence with human creativity, reflecting on how technology can enhance, or even transform, artistic expression.

Marble Looks Back

Marble Looks Back is an interactive XR installation that blurs the lines between the physical and virtual worlds. At the center of this experience is Marble, a holographic game character, puppeteered by a live actor in virtual reality (VR). Participants are invited into a thought-provoking dialogue with Marble, exploring existential themes of human interaction through digital mediums. As both the character and the participant contemplate the allure of each other's worlds, this immersive performance questions our relationship with cyberspace and reality.

About the Technology

The installation employs XR (Extended Reality) technology to bring Marble to life. Using rear projection and live streaming techniques, Marble is projected as a hologram, interacting with participants in real-time through a puppeteer in VR. The integration of these technologies allows for a fluid, lifelike interaction between Marble and the audience, pushing the boundaries of digital storytelling. By combining elements like VR and interactive holography, Marble Looks Back serves as a showcase of how XR tools can enhance narrative depth in theatrical performances.

SANKOFA

Step into the world of SANKOFA, an immersive virtual reality theater piece that transports participants through time and space. In this journey, you will accompany the Vreden siblings—Wanda, Gerald, and Steven—as they uncover the mysteries of their ancestral heritage. Set within the ancient African civilization of Bagadune, SANKOFA challenges participants to collaborate in unraveling secrets and understanding the past. With its message of empowerment and cultural reconnection, the performance invites audiences to explore their inner strength while forging a hopeful path toward the future.

About the Technology

SANKOFA is an immersive experience that blends VR technology with narrative storytelling rooted in Afro-futurism. Drawing inspiration from First Noble's literary work 'HIS STORY OF THE WORLD, L'HISTOIRE DU MONDE', the performance uses high-resolution VR to craft a vibrant and interactive world where participants can engage deeply with the story and each other. The immersive virtual environment allows audiences to explore cultural narratives and ancestral history, combining visual artistry and interactiveness to create an engaging experience.

Good to know: A general ticket gives you access to the ongoing program which includes Installations, talks and behind the scenes insights. Tickets for specific performances will be sold separately at the door of De Paardenkathedraal on November 30th or will be presold separately via our online ticketshop prior to the event. Keep an eye on the socials for important updates.