Fake Friends

Great article. The question you raise about whether or not Fatebook is defining a model for the cross analogue-digital performance paradigm is very poignant.

I was also thinking about that. It may be too premature to draw conclusions at this point, the project is cutting edge stuff. But I did find out more in an interview I conducted with Whit MacLaughlin via Skype. I edited and published the transcript on my blog here: http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/on-the-real-fatebook-and-whit-maclaughlin/

What I find particularly interesting about the project is the character development process and the director's role in the online component of the show. 'Building a character' takes on a new meaning in this context - as do many of the performative terms we take for granted in 'physical world' performance. It certainly provides much food for thought.

This is amazingly immersive. I'd like to think Karen Getz, Grace Gonglewski and I helped pave the way with the first online Live Arts/Fringe show, "The Many Men of Martha Manning", in 2007, followed by Brat's "Martha & Dotty: Microwave Mambo!" in 2008.

Both were podcast comedies, of course, and not massive interactive productions that combined online and live performances, as "Fatebook" does. I'm totally hooked and can't wait to see how this all plays out.

(If you're interested in the Martha & Dotty shows, you can find them both at http://marthamanning.org)

Asfintit Kingston here... thinking that the Fatebook experience is so sublime, it makes my Facebook experience so much more meaningful. Like playing any virtual-reality game, I am more engaged. Anticipation is building for the actual show, Whis is building a global-performance!