'All the world's a stage' for superfast broadband

Shakespeare's The Tempest is centred around a spell of bad weather and the innovative use of superfast fibre broadband in a recent performance of the play went down a storm.

Actors from Cornwall's Miracle Theatre Company used the high-speed technology to allow multiple audiences to watch the play via an online streaming system.

The performance took place at Falmouth's Discovery Quay, with six actors playing their roles at the town's Maritime Museum and two doing so at Doghouse, which is the headquarters of Dogbite, a local creative production studio.

Professor of Interactive Media and Scientific Director at Vconect Marian Ursu commented: "Fast broadband connections are enabling new forms of theatrical experience."

She explained that unmanned automatically-controlled cameras were linked up to performances of the play taking place in two locations, transmitting the people watching online at home, as well as to those based in the different theatres to create a unique viewing experience.

Professor Ursu added: "It's a world first and it is great to be doing it in the context of one of Shakespeare's finest plays."