Ian McKellen will headline the European premiere of the mixed-reality play An Ark at Manchester’s Aviva Studios next spring. Running from March 27 to April 10, 2027, the 47-minute production uses volumetric recordings and smart glasses to project 3D performances into the room without the actor physically appearing on stage.
Factory International Unveils 20th Anniversary Season at Aviva Studios
The milestone year brings nine UK and world premieres to Aviva Studios alongside the return of the biennial festival, scheduled to take over the city from 1 to 18 July 2027. John McGrath, artistic director and chief executive, noted that the anniversary reflects two decades of commissioning ambitious work.
Twenty years ago, Manchester International Festival put the city at the centre of the international cultural conversation, asking what the art of tomorrow could be,
McGrath said, according to reports.
How An Ark Brings Ian McKellen Into the Room Without the Actor Onstage
Written by Simon Stephens, An Ark places audiences inside a 47-minute theatrical exploration of life, love, and loss using special smart glasses. Rather than watching live performers in the flesh, theatregoers view pre-recorded volumetric videos that project the cast into the physical room. The production is created by mixed reality pioneer Todd Eckert, Stockport-born playwright Simon Stephens, and director Sarah Frankcom.
McKellen stars alongside Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene, and Rosie Sheehy. The four actors were filmed using 52 cameras to create the volumetric recordings used to create the 3D holographic effect, delivering an experience that provides an unusually close connection between the performer and the viewer.
A new Simon Stephens play is always an excitement but when it is written to be performed in this unique way, it feels more like an explosion. The four of us in front of 50 cameras simultaneously, relishing the chance to explore a new way of acting. New York has already been impressed with the result – now it’s Manchester’s turn.
Sir Ian McKellen, actor
McGrath explained that mixed reality differs from virtual reality because the glasses project virtual elements into the space while still showing the real world around the viewer. He compared the experience to cinema: audiences do not expect film actors to be present in the auditorium, and the technology creates an intimate connection where viewers feel performers are sitting directly in front of them. Rosie Sheehy described the making of the production as a true adventure, noting that while stretching theatrical boundaries can feel terrifying at times, being surrounded by an extraordinary group of people replaced that fear with excitement and reward.
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The wide-ranging programme also features Florentina Holzinger presenting A Year Without Summer from October 14 to 16, a work inspired by the 1816 eruption of Mount Tambora featuring 24 women and non-binary performers ranging from their 20s to their 80s. Additionally, Javaad Alipoor and Chris Thorpe will present the world premiere of Cinema Tehran from October 5 to 10, while South African choreographer Gregory Maqoma will bring the UK premiere of Genesis: The Beginning and End of Time from October 22 to 24, and Hetain Patel will present the free exhibition Come As You Really Are from February 13 to 20.
