Publikumsversc

Publikumsversc is a term used in performance studies to describe a family of practices in which audience input directly influences the character, narrative, or outcomes of a live performance. The approach emphasizes emergent content rather than a fixed script, blending elements of theatre, installation, and digital interactivity. The term is a neologism that combines the German word publik- "audience" with a suffix derived from "version," intended to signal that each performance can exist in multiple audience-guided variants.

Origins and usage: Although the concept predates the term, scholarly attention to audience-driven form grew in the 2000s with experimental theatre and streaming performances. Publikumsversc can operate through proportion of votes, prompts integrated into the score, or real-time feedback channels that alter scenes, character motivations, or endings. Technologies employed include mobile apps, audience response systems, and sensor-based installations. Formats range from short participatory pieces to long-running productions with branching narratives.

Reception and critique: Proponents argue that publikumsversc expands creative collaboration, democratizes storytelling, and enhances engagement. Critics warn that it can blur authorship, privilege louder or wealthier audiences, and compromise dramaturgical coherence. Properly designed, it aims to distribute agency without fully relinquishing artistic intent.

See also: Interactive theatre, Participatory art, Audience participation, Choose-your-own-adventure.