Quake/Friends

In game performance and intervention, 2003

Online performance event, involved 6 performers connected to the same "Quake III Arena" first person shooter server online to reenact an episode from the popular TV sitcom, "Friends". My group of 6 performers, recreated, word for word, by typing on our keyboards using the games online messaging system. Each of us logging into the game as one of the characters from the show. Phoebe, Ross, Monica, Joey, Chandler and Rachel performed the episode by typing, while at the same time reciting, the lines from the show - the lines of text will appear at the top of each player's screen in real time. The performers functioned as passive, neutral visitors to the game - constantly killed and reincarnated to continue the performance.

Quake/Friends.1 took place in the Digital Media Studio of UNR in October of 2002. Quake/Friends.2 took place on March 8th, 2003, in the Sheppard Fine Arts Gallery, the performance environment included six large video projections, one each showing the action from the point of view of each individual performer.

Read the article from the NYtimes regarding the project. http://www.nytimes.com/2003/03/03/arts/design/03MATT.html