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Immersive Experience Network Podcast

Making Immersive: Casting and Rehearsals

Season 1, Ep. 8

Were joined by Carl Dolamore, Oliver Lansley and Megan Stewart for a dynamic discussion which takes us deep into the creative processes and complex methodologies involved in casting and rehearsing for immersive experiences and the key differences in practice between these and traditional theatre making practices.


Our Guests:

Carl Dolamore is an actor and voice artist, currently studying on the MA Voice Studies course at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. He has worked in live and immersive theatre for about a decade and has recently started teaching and coaching actors as well. Carl has worked on Secret Cinema's Stranger Things & Rocket Raccoon in Secret Cinema's Guardians of Galaxy, Manuel Faulty Towers Dining Experience, Maze Master for The Crystal Maze, Money Heist Live Experience Show and Boomtown Fair.


Oliver Lansley is a British, Neuro-divergent writer, director and performer who works across stage and screen. Lansley is Artistic Director of the multi award-winning and pioneering theatre company Les Enfants Terribles. The company has created many ground-breaking productions, including the Olivier Award nominated Alice’s Adventures Underground - which has enjoyed sell out runs in London and Shanghai; The Game’s Afoot for Madame Tussauds; Inside Pussy Riot, and recently The House with Chicken Legs (based on the best selling book by Sophie Anderson) - which has also just been nominated for an Olivier Award. The Company will be opening their own permanent immersive theatre venue - 'Labyrinth' in Waterloo in 2024 with the return of Alice's Adventures Underground.


Megan Stewart is a Scottish Writer, Senior Creative and Director. Her writing specialties are adaptations of existing IP; dialogue writing; character writing; game writing; and blended medium writing for the immersive theatre format. Her directing specialties include close- proximity immersive; personalised storylines within roaming group adventures; and crafting authentic audience experiences. Her performance direction is centred around building the ensemble and discovery through structured improvisation. Megan additionally consults for immersive theatre, advising in script development, actor safety, show flow, audience flow and operations. She is currently the Associate Director at multi-award winning immersive theatre company, Layered Reality in London; and Associate Creative Director & Writer at Sarner. Megan has worked on The War of the Worlds (Layered Reality), The Gunpowder Plot (Layered Reality), Money Heist (Bearded Kitten, Fever & Netflix) and further shows with Luna Cinema, Bompas & Parr & Path Group.


Hosted by Dr Joanna Bucknall and produced by Natalie Scott for the Immersive Experience Network’s, Knowledge Bank. Funded by Arts Council England.


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