Voices of VR #1705: The Art of Designing Emergent Social Dynamics with Ontroerend Goed’s “Handle with Care”
Dec 7, 2025
Alexander De Vriend, the artistic director of Ontroerend Goed, discusses the innovative immersive theater piece, Handle With Care. He explains how they design interactive experiences for reluctant audiences, emphasizing subtle cues that encourage participation without pressure. De Vriend shares insights on the unique distribution model of the show in boxes, audience trust, and the importance of balancing private moments with communal interactions. He reflects on the ethos of caring for unknown people, highlighting how the work creates profound connections and conversations.
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Minimal Objects, Maximal Emergence
- Minimal props and clear instructions can generate rich, variable social theatre experiences.
- A simple box with timed papers produced high agency and emergent dynamics across performances.
Scale By Shipping A Low-Cost Box
- Distribute a boxed kit with low-cost instructions to enable wide, local production.
- Limit components and language versions so small venues worldwide can run the piece affordably.
Three Years Of Iterative Tryouts
- Ontrroerend Goed ran 30+ tryouts over 3.5 years and adjusted repeatedly based on surprises.
- They removed explicit narration after tests showed it felt like a deus ex machina.
