Ian McKellen stars in mixed‑reality play An Ark at the Shed

At the Shed in Manhattan’s Hudson Yards, An Ark is staging a mixed‑reality play in which enhanced glasses overlay filmed appearances of Ian McKellen, Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene and Rosie Sheehy onto the physical theatre space. Audience members see the actors as nearly opaque figures seated before them, and the performers address viewers directly.

Written almost entirely in the second person by Simon Stephens and directed by Sarah Frankcom, the 47‑minute piece was filmed in one take by 52 cameras in Grenoble using volumetric capture. Producer Todd Eckert and his company Tin Drum emphasise the distinction between mixed reality, which combines physical and digital elements, and full VR immersion; the show’s programme states, 'An Ark is not a work of AI.'

Preview performances experienced some technical malfunctions and the projections retain hazy edges and resolution limits, but Eckert and Frankcom argue the format creates an intimate form of presence and could widen access and preserve performances in new ways. Tin Drum’s previous projects included a 2019 hologram of Marina Abramović and a 2023 virtual 3D concert with Ryuichi Sakamoto.

Whether mixed reality ultimately feels alienating or inviting is left to each viewer, the creators say. An Ark is on at the Shed in New York until 1 March.

Key Topics

Culture, Ian Mckellen, An Ark, The Shed, Mixed Reality, Volumetric Capture