Reimagining Beckett's Not I in Virtual Reality: The MetaHuman as a Digital Double of the Actor
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This paper explores the reworking of Samuel Beckett’s Not I as a virtual reality (VR) experience using Unreal Engine and MetaHuman technology. The original work, known for its disembodied mouth and rapid-fire monologue, challenges conventional theater staging and produces profound unease in audiences. Adapting Not I for VR interrogates how immersive media can intensify or transform the visceral impact of Beckett’s subtractive dramaturgy. Drawing on arts practice-as-research (PAR) and reflective methods, we examine how the demands of VR technology, audience embodiment, and design choices intersect with Beckett’s textual specificity. We conclude by assessing the project’s significance for contemporary performance studies, as well as implications for future XR interpretations of canonical theatrical works.
DOI: 10.1145/3736779
Authors: Néill O'Dwyer, Enda Bates, Nicholas Johnson
Institution: Trinity College Dublin
Language: English
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4412474813