TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Very Theater’s latest production “8 Degrees of Freedom” blends immersive technology and audience interaction in a reimagining of live performance.

Running Wednesday through Friday at the National Taichung Theater’s Black Box, the show transforms the space into a hybrid realm where music, dance, and virtual reality converge. Some audience members wear VR headsets and participate virtually, while others remain seated to watch a real-time improvisational performance unfold.

The production is the latest in Very Theater’s “Free Ur Head” series, known for its experimental approach to form and perception. This chapter invites audiences to co-create the experience through interactive games that merge digital and physical expression.

Central to the performance are VR and XR (extended reality) technologies, which simulate immersive environments and enhance real-world interaction. VR detaches users from their surroundings, while XR combines elements of VR, AR (augmented reality), and MR (mixed reality) to expand perception.

Director Chou Tung-Yen (周東彥) said the performance explores the contrast between what headset users experience and what others observe. “I’m deeply curious whether these two kinds of magic, VR and theater, can truly merge,” Chou said.

Previous iterations of “Free Ur Head” featured outdoor performances where headset wearers mirrored dancers' movements, becoming performers themselves. This latest evolution brings the concept indoors, redefining how people engage with space and one another.

With “8 Degrees of Freedom,” Chou describes the production as a “digital spectacle made for the theater.” It blurs the boundary between immersive installation and VR playground, confronting differences in perception between participants and viewers.