Lo-Fi, Quick and Glitchy: T(h)inkering with Unreal Engine in Digital, Hybrid, and Expanded Theatre

This paper explores the creative tensions involved in bringing together the rapid ideation of theatre devising process with the meticulous development typical of 3D and immersive production. With reference to a collaboration between University of Plymouth and the Wardrobe Ensemble theatre company, the text focuses on the integration of Unreal Engine into devised theatre production. It discusses: the navigation of these differing temporalities; methodologies for creating media in a way is incorporated into the devising process; and the promotion of media assets as active elements within the narrative. The approach of "t(h)inkering" is introduced—combining the concepts of thinking and tinkering—as a process that eschews linearity of common 3D, animation and VFX production pipelines, emphasizing instead reflection and experimentation in media creation. The text explores how low-fidelity assets and fast turnaround times facilitated a dynamic dialogue between theatre and creative technologists and concludes by emphasizing a shift in perspective towards viewing Unreal Engine as a sandbox for experimentation rather than a linear production tool, advocating for a process-oriented approach to media creation.