We three Filskit ladies might seem like unlikely spokespersons for technology in theatre. It is true that we do not have a smartphone between us, and we have spent many a happy hour swearing at Microsoft Office… However, we have found ourselves obsessed with what the gadget world can offer us and our theatre practice. From cameras with in-built projectors to iPads, we as a nation have become obsessed with high-tech gadgets. Walking down the street or even on the train, you are hard pushed to see someone who isn’t being distracted by some sort of gizmo. Now the question is, does this extend to the world of theatre – or is it just a form of distraction?

It has to be said, there are some amazing technical treats out there for the larger budget theatre production. Shows such as Complicite’s A Disappearing Number show how whole worlds can be created with the addition of powerful projection. Now technology has been developed where lasers ‘grid’ up the space to generate the projection with absolute technical precision. Even an actor’s movement can be used to trigger a motif. This is the future for large-scale cutting-edge theatre. However, for us at Filskit (and our humble budget), we’ve started small.

It’s incredible to see how rapidly technology is developing. Since we purchased our very first Pico projector in 2008 (which we named Wall-E!), his meagre 10 lumens and need to be plugged into both the computer and mains now already seems slightly old fashioned. Over the past three years we have witnessed incredible developments in the world of micro projection. Not only are these gadgets getting smaller with each new model, but they also now boast improved battery life and brightness (that’s the ‘lumens’ we were talking about earlier) and some are even operated with a touch screen. There are so many new gadgets on the market that even we three technophobes are getting excited.

Fascinated by the more intimate work of the projector and specifically hand-held projectors, we have experimented using the actors themselves as canvases on which to project, hence why our first piece was called The Living Canvas. We have learnt to play with various images and interact with them so the pre-recorded image doesn’t necessarily sit as a separate entity to the live performance. On numerous occasions, we have witnessed shows where you are left torn and uncertain whether to watch the actor or the screen, and often this jars. With a heavy reliance on special effects, it is as if they are trying to bring the cinematic experience to the stage. Whilst this can look spectacular, there is a risk that some of the theatrical magic may be lost. Anyone who has experienced the world of film will note how different the process is to the finished product; scenes may be filmed sporadically and rarely in sequential order and actors repetitively run snippets of dialogue countless times from several angles. Arguably, the actor is only one small facet of the film making craft.

Yet in theatre the event is live, and as many a theatre-maker will know, there is always an underlying level of risk – a performer might fluff their lines, trip over on stage, a light might blow or a projector might die (this last one has most definitely happened to us before). But isn’t that all part of the beauty of a live, shared experience?

So as a theatre maker, how do you ensure that you keep the spontaneity and creativity of a live performance when using pre-recorded material and technology? Our thought is that this lies within the interaction between the performers on stage and the technology in hand. With each new projector or gadget there is always the challenge to find a way of integrating it into the performance so that it enhances the audience’s experience, rather than becoming a cheap gimmick. We believe that our little projectors should be used like another scenic element – as integral as light, sound and action. The hope is that it develops the scenic world and continues the narrative without being the distraction that we know the modern gadget can be.

We have been playing with projection for a few years now; it was the focus of our first show, and in our recent production of Snow White it was integral as our Wicked Queen’s means of communication. As we look to the beginnings of our next piece we are looking at the latest selection of Pico projectors and gadgets that can assist us in the creation of our show. It may involve more and more technology, but hopefully not at the cost of theatricality.