Digital Monkeys

“Whilst even the most passive audience will inevitably have an effect on the performers, in most performing arts, the audience observes the performers with little actual input into the performance. The audience members are generally not considered part of the performance and various other factors such as the physical separation of the stage and audience seating reinforce this. Whilst this approach is not necessarily flawed, including the audience in the performance itself has the potential to enhance the effect of the work, especially when the performance is an improvisation. Digital Monkeys is an improvisation for any number of performers from any discipline and a number of audience members. The premise is quite simple: the audience determines the rules restricting how the performers can improvise, however, each individual can only remove a rule, add a rule, or change a rule. Once they have made one of these edits, they must wait for someone else to make a change before they can go again. This means that the resultant ruleset must be the result of multiple people, with audience members having to mediate their personal goals with those of the group. As entertaining as this premise is, it is not just for fun. Digital Monkeys simulates the process through which rules are made in real life. The law, company policies, and even social norms are all frameworks developed over time by multiple people with their own personal agendas. By experiencing this first hand, the hope is that the audience leaves empowered with their new understanding that rules in society are flexible and ever-changing, and that all it takes to remove restrictions perpetuating injustice is for enough people to work together to make that change.”