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Can mixed-reality theatre re-invent the stage?

The Shed, US

US – An Ark, a mixed-reality theatre experience at The Shed in New York, is exploring how digital technology can transform live performance while preserving the intimacy of human connection.

Audiences sit in a circle wearing enhanced glasses as actor Ian McKellen and co-stars Golda Rosheuvel, Arinzé Kene and Rosie Sheehy appear as life-like video figures, filmed using 52 cameras and projected into the physical space.

Written by Simon Stephens and produced by Todd Eckert’s Tin Drum, the 47-minute play addresses viewers in the second person, maintaining constant eye contact with each audience member. Eckert stresses the distinction from virtual reality, calling VR ‘elective isolation’ and arguing that mixed reality allows audiences to remain aware of each other and the room. ‘Your experience is one of being connected, that’s the whole point,’ he said.

Director Sarah Frankcom approached the project like a conventional play, rehearsing and filming the actors in a single continuous take. The result, she said, is ‘a new form of theatre’ that lets viewers feel seen.

In Future Forecast 2026: Culture & Media we identified the rise of a new era of modular content: media designed to adapt in real time to context, mood and attention span. Rather than fixed formats, this emerging model responds dynamically to how, where and why audiences engage, signalling a shift towards more fluid, responsive forms of entertainment and storytelling.

Strategic opportunity

Use mixed reality to make cultural experiences such as plays or brand pop-ups responsive, letting audiences influence and inhabit performances in real time, creating intimacy, connection and engagement that bridges physical presence with digital augmentation

Prada excavates the past to shape menswear’s future

Italy – Raf Simons and Miuccia Prada’s autumn/winter 2026 menswear collection presented at Fondazione Prada in Milan, Italy, was an exercise in layered archaeology.

Staged within a ruinous interpretation of an Italian palazzo, the show explored what to retain, strip back or transform from fashion’s past. Commenting on the uncertain and uncomfortable political climate that surrounds the show, Miuccia Prada commented: ‘Who knows the future? So [you have to think about] what you want to keep. What can you transform?’

Cuffs were stained and soiled, leather outwear creased and fabric peeled to give the impression of well-worn clothes, while colourful laces, over-stuffed wallets and tie-fastening belts gave impressions of personal style and leant into moments of visual interruption.

The archaeological aspects of the show reflect insights from our Dirt as Dissent microtrend, which explored how dirt, mess and imperfection are being reframed as character, comfort and proof of a life lived within the fashion and beauty industries.

Dirty Looks Installation view Barbican Art Gallery

Strategic opportunity

Make collections more approachable by intentionally showing garments worn, layered or imperfect, using distressing, creasing and visible construction to signal authenticity, lived-in style and the human touch behind fashion

Stat: Youth employment anxiety rises as AI threatens entry-level roles

Photography by Fauxels

UK – A growing majority of young people in the UK are entering work with deep anxiety about their career prospects, according to new research from the King’s Trust.

A YouGov survey of 4,097 people aged 16–25 found that 73% are worried about their career prospects, while more than seven in 10 wish they were not starting out in the current economic climate. More than a quarter feel they are likely to fail in life.

Concerns about artificial intelligence are intensifying this unease. The proportion of young people worried about AI’s impact on job security has risen by 10 percentage points in a year to 59% – echoing insights from our Gen Z Parents report, where the disruptive potential of generative AI in both work and learning is driving parents to encourage alternative paths.

Many also feel unprepared for work: three in five say they are not employment-ready, 64% believe entry-level roles are insecure and 28% lack work experience.

For more on Gen Z's attitudes to work and technology, head to our Gen Z Now and Next macrotrend report.

Strategic opportunity

Workplaces should redesign entry-level roles and onboarding to build confidence, resilience and skill development, helping young workers navigate economic uncertainty and AI disruption while fostering a sense of purpose, security and career agency