"Fast forward 400 years and Shakespeare's famous line 'all the world's a stage' rings more true than ever, with people across the world engaging with theatre as never before. 

"Digital technology has helped make one of the world's oldest art forms even more accessible to audiences. In the UK, the National Theatre is leading the way by streaming live performances onto cinema screens worldwide, while Stagetext, supported by Nesta, is providing an automatic captioning cue system which has vastly improved the performance experience for those with hearing impairments. 

"In the search of a more personal experience, virtual reality is likely to be the next step for performance arts. Harvard students were recently inspired to create an immersive version of Macbeth - turning the audience from spectators into players.

"The divergence of art and technology is what has helped to keep Shakespeare's legacy alive over four centuries and looks set to help it grow in future."

- Ends –

About Nesta: (www.nesta.org.uk) is the UK's innovation foundation. We help people and organisations bring great ideas to life. We do this by providing investments and grants and mobilising research, networks and skills. We are an independent charity and our work is enabled by an endowment from the National Lottery. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833 

For all media enquiries please contact Laura Scarrott in Nesta’s press office:[email protected] / 0207 438 2697

perfectsonnet52 via Compfight cc