The global theater: a confrontation with a new media on the basis of the first occidental epic.

Our team first had the idea to produce a theater performance making use of the possibilities offered by the medium Internet in October 1995. Our choice of theme is nothing less than The Odyssey by Homer. Via mailinglists and online meeting an international group of artists, theater practicionaris and theoreticans worked on a concept for a theater performance, appropriate to the characteristics of the Internet. The playscript was written in a collaboration of our webteam at the oudeis-idea list. The work in progress involved several public performances in Real Space and on the Internet. In Fall 1997, the work in progress was put on hold for the time being.

Why "The Odyssey"?

Because the wanderings of Odysseus, lasting for more than 10 years, constitute an excellent metaphor, illustrating the theory of acceleration, the shrinking of the world to a global village, the dissolution of the journey/all journeys, and the trip/tour around the world in less than 10 years/10 months/10 days/10 hours/10 minutes/10 seconds.

Going to the limits, data transfer technology constantly pushing new frontiers, interpreting virtual reality as an allegory of wanderings in the Net, the wanderings of Odysseus transposed into Cyberspace, navigating in the World Wide Web. Real actors are transformed into light, into a virtual reality present in another part of the world; the audience being present in real space and Cyberspace, and participating via the use of the Internet.

Our objectives are: to transmit "The Odyssey" across The Seven Seas within one hour and to bear the hardships caused by our wanderings through the Net and the intellectual confrontation necessary for an artistic approach to the Internet as a new media.