Introduction: Urgencies in Interactive Theatre

This chapter introduces the urgent exploration of the relationship between audience and performance in interactive theatre, drawing from game studies to enrich this discourse. Co-creative performance-making emphasises affect as a central material of performance, shaped by the knowledges carried by the bodies of the participants. The chapter outlines a four-year project, Play/Test Galway, aimed at exploring the use of interactive theatre techniques to celebrate embodied knowledges and analyse affective push and pull. The book’s model of ‘reflective affective’ dramaturgy, depicted in a visual model, is presented as a method for theatre- and larp-makers and researchers, emphasising the role of participants as co-researchers. Furthermore, the chapter discusses the historical and theoretical lineages of larp, emphasising its dual heritage from role-playing games and performance. It highlights the rise of Nordic larp, exploring its diverse forms and influential contributions to immersive and affective interaction. It references various interactive theatre and larp productions that invite audience participation and explores the ethical implications of participant agency within these performances. Overall, the chapter presents a comprehensive exploration of the intersections between interactive theatre and larp studies, highlighting the urgency to reframe audience participation and agency within the performative space.