Chiasmic Play: Exploring Embodied Experience through Live Haptic Theatre

Abstract

Chiasmic Play is an experimental live theatre performance that integrates haptic technologies to explore embodied, affective, and relational experiences between actors and audiences. The work employs full-body haptic Teslasuits (actors and audience), and custom-built vibrotactile devices (audience only) – Chiasmic Spheres – to create a multisensory environment where narrative unfolds through sensation rather than linear storytelling. The performance invites audiences to engage physically and emotionally, blurring the boundaries between observer and participant. Through multimodal focus groups involving drawing, metaphor, and journaling, the study investigates how haptic feedback influences narrative perception, engagement, and empathy. Findings reveal that haptics can act as a narrative device, deepen sensory engagement, and foster kinesthetic empathy, while also presenting challenges such as sensory overload and limited agency. This research contributes to the field of sensory dramaturgy and proposes Environmental Haptics as a framework for inclusive, customisable audience experiences in live performance.