The theatre is an odd place to use your phone

One of our critics wrote about a certain feeling of safety that comes from holding your phone, and that the entrance to Vivaarium was not through a theatre door, but instead, through your own phone's internet browser.

Simple beginnings are important. We worked hard for this: the first task after logging in or receiving a device has to be as easy as possible. In Vivaarium, we gave the audience members ID number stickers, which they used to log in.

Environment

The first production's app featured subtle colours for indoor use, but the latest one, designed for outdoor interaction in summer, will crank up the brightness and contrast!

Theatre doesn't exist without an audience

It’s usual to run a full-dress rehearsal with an audience before the premiere. What’s less typical is having an audience from the start, which is precisely what we did—and we learned we should have done even more.

That's me fixing something after the test audience unearthed a bug.

Size matters

And every theatre-goer doesn't have the biggest newest smartphone.

Half the web apps out there aren't fit for tiny screens—ours was no exception until we sorted it after our initial audience feedback.

The importance of interactions

In high-stress situations like performing a monologue while managing a tablet, haptic feedback for each touch is crucial. Despite the initial web app's plain interface, it prioritised usability and was tailored to actors' preferences.

In hindsight, all of this is obvious - but hey, it was my first time.

• State indicators for everything.
• Synchronised timers for actors to maintain storyline alignment.
• Extensive experimentation with colours and text styles for optimal communication of vital information, influenced by live audience statistics.