EP 28 | On the Metaverse Stage - Marinda Botha on VR Theatre and Storytelling
Loading player...
In this episode of The Angle, we talk to South African actor and immersive performer Marinda Botha about her journey from traditional theatre and voice acting to global VR stages like Raindance and SXSW.
With more than two decades in stage performance, Marinda is now one of the leading voices in live virtual theatre — a niche within a niche — where actors perform in immersive digital spaces like Resonite and VRChat.
We explore the evolution of her career, the technical realities of putting on a virtual show, and the philosophical tension between access, liveness, and preservation. From Alien Rescue to Symbiosis/Dysbiosis, Marinda unpacks the craft of creating interactive storytelling worlds — and what’s needed for this work to thrive in South Africa.
Whether you're into VR, performance, or just curious about the future of live entertainment — this is a must-listen.
Chapters / Timecodes:
00:00 – Intro & Marinda’s background
03:45 – From theatre to VR: how it started
06:10 – Alien Rescue: 100+ live shows in VR
09:30 – The process: scripting, worldbuilding, blocking
13:10 – Platforms: why she works in Resonite
15:30 – Audience reactions & what immersion really feels like
18:40 – Can VR Theatre ever be financially sustainable?
22:00 – Theatre vs. VR: coexistence, not competition
25:00 – Discoverability and archiving in VR
28:30 – The case for collaboration with movie theatres
30:10 – Access, hardware, and the African context
32:00 – Advice for South African creators
34:45 – Streaming podcast episodes inside virtual worlds?
35:30 – What’s next: Raindance, SXSW & beyond
#VRTheatre, #ImmersiveStorytelling, #VirtualReality, #RaindanceImmersive, #LivePerformance, #CreativeTechnology, #Resonite, #DigitalTheatre, #TheAnglePodcast, #SouthAfricanCreators
With more than two decades in stage performance, Marinda is now one of the leading voices in live virtual theatre — a niche within a niche — where actors perform in immersive digital spaces like Resonite and VRChat.
We explore the evolution of her career, the technical realities of putting on a virtual show, and the philosophical tension between access, liveness, and preservation. From Alien Rescue to Symbiosis/Dysbiosis, Marinda unpacks the craft of creating interactive storytelling worlds — and what’s needed for this work to thrive in South Africa.
Whether you're into VR, performance, or just curious about the future of live entertainment — this is a must-listen.
Chapters / Timecodes:
00:00 – Intro & Marinda’s background
03:45 – From theatre to VR: how it started
06:10 – Alien Rescue: 100+ live shows in VR
09:30 – The process: scripting, worldbuilding, blocking
13:10 – Platforms: why she works in Resonite
15:30 – Audience reactions & what immersion really feels like
18:40 – Can VR Theatre ever be financially sustainable?
22:00 – Theatre vs. VR: coexistence, not competition
25:00 – Discoverability and archiving in VR
28:30 – The case for collaboration with movie theatres
30:10 – Access, hardware, and the African context
32:00 – Advice for South African creators
34:45 – Streaming podcast episodes inside virtual worlds?
35:30 – What’s next: Raindance, SXSW & beyond
#VRTheatre, #ImmersiveStorytelling, #VirtualReality, #RaindanceImmersive, #LivePerformance, #CreativeTechnology, #Resonite, #DigitalTheatre, #TheAnglePodcast, #SouthAfricanCreators
