YUM! is an innovative participatory XR (Extended Reality) music theater that immerses audiences in a satirical dining experience where grotesque beauty, dark humor, and tech-driven narratives intertwine. Created by Studio M.A.R.S., this production transports viewers to a parallel universe—vividly absurd and hauntingly familiar—where a sheen of opulence conceals a world plagued by climate catastrophe, food shortages, and societal decay.

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Through exaggerated storytelling, YUM! delves into themes of class, identity, and self-obsession. XR technology serves as both a dramaturgical and metaphorical tool, revealing how digital media distorts perception and blurs the line between the authentic and the artificial.

In YUM!, digital illusion collides with physical reality as an XR app transforms revolting jelly dishes into sumptuous virtual feasts, symbolizing our daily interactions with digital devices. Here, technology questions its role in a dystopian society—do screens distort reality, or do they simply mirror our artificial lives?

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At the core of YUM! is its pioneering use of AR and VR, seamlessly blending mixed reality with live performance to draw audiences into an uncanny, digital-woven experience. Over sixty surreal minutes, audiences are immersed in a distorted high-society world of grotesque, fake luxuries as the planet teeters on collapse. Dining with self-obsessed characters, they are pulled further into this fabricated reality with satirical ‘Advertisements,’ revealing how digital opulence masks environmental devastation, food shortages, and societal emptiness. In YUM!, devices aren’t just tools; they’re façades masking decay.

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Yum! seeks to redefine opera and music theater production by leaning towards performance art. This innovative approach aims to create a more immersive experience, allowing the audience to actively engage with the performance. This includes breaking the traditional "fourth wall" barrier between performers and spectators, enabling the audience to become storytellers within the narrative.

 

We amplify the story through Extended Reality, transporting the audience fully into this new world. Our interdisciplinary, multi-sensory approach engages and challenges all the senses—from taste and smell to touch and sight—taking both the cast and the audience on an exploration of what may lie ahead.

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​​​The Story:

 

What does it mean to indulge in luxury when the world outside is falling apart?

How far would you go for a taste of power and belonging?

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In this 60-minute immersive performance, the world of ambition, manipulation, and obsession collide in the most unexpected way, as the audience becomes part of a surreal, climate-ravaged dystopia. A world where food is scarce, the environment has crumbled, and societal collapse looms. But inside Madame Gigi’s restaurant, the elite dine on synthetic feasts and indulge in fabricated luxury, oblivious to the devastation outside.

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At the heart of this staged illusion is Madame Gigi, a woman who clawed her way from nothing to the heights of high society. She has built her restaurant into a symbol of ultimate power and status, offering an escape from the world’s chaos, while secretly using it to control everyone who enters. Each dish she serves is a manipulation, an illusion, a carefully crafted performance that plays on her patrons’ deepest desires for belonging, recognition, and power.

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Yum! also explores the concept of extreme adoration: a cult-like obsession with extravagant artificial food- as a satirical reflection of our era’s obsession with exaggerated trends, false narratives, and blind devotion to authority. In Madame Gigi’s exclusive dining experience, each meticulously crafted dish tells a story designed to manipulate her guests and test their humanity. Beauty is pushed to grotesque extremes, with food and XR becoming tools of manipulation. Simple jelly is transformed into an exquisite illusion, deceiving the senses and demonstrating how easily perception bends to technology's influence.

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This manipulation serves as a powerful metaphor for the digital age, where people are misled by online illusions and fabricated truths. Yum! exposes not only our appetite for luxury and recognition but also our susceptibility to deception by those in power.

 

Madame Gigi’s cult-like restaurant becomes both a reflection of our times and a dark societal experiment. Each dish, from its XR visuals to its narrative, delivers biting humor and sharp metaphors about humanity’s obsession with status, greed, and the perilous allure of artificial perfection.

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Yum! is a character-driven story

The characters development in Yum! plays a pivotal role, with each character symbolizing a distinct social class while delving into the complexities of human nature. Each role explores themes of class, self-identity, power, and greed from unique perspectives.

Yum! focuses on revealing the multifaceted nature of humanity, allowing each character to resonate with the audience. It invites audiences to reflect on the rigidity of class divisions, the dominance of capital and algorithmic power, and the fragility and illusion of the polished indifference and falsehood we often call "civilization."

 

 

Our goal is for the audience to engage in conversations about the characters and their significance long after the performance ends.

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Visionary Approach to Music Composition:

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At the heart of Yum! lies the concept of "Authentically Artificial," where exaggerated artifice is used to reveal profound truths. The musical composition boldly explores dystopian themes, blending historical and futuristic aesthetics with dark humor and absurdist philosophy. Rooted in a post-humanist perspective, the work challenges traditional notions of authenticity in artistic expression, presenting all forms as deliberately constructed artifice.

 

In traditional contemporary opera, music and vocal styles often feel inaccessible to non-opera audiences, with acting and singing perceived as outdated or overly dramatic. In Yum!'s exaggerated universe, however, operatic singing and extreme acting are transformed into dynamic storytelling tools. By blending spoken and sung elements, the performance challenges operatic norms and intentionally adds a layer of artifice, amplifying the absurdity and surreal humor of its dystopian setting.

 

Using Sprechgesang, spoken dialogue, extended vocal techniques, and exaggerated, cheesy melodies, Yum! deliberately avoids subtlety, embracing over-the-top acting and heightened soundscapes. This heightened artificiality becomes a powerful device, mirroring the excess of the narrative and the manipulative nature of Yum!'s world. Harmonic structures bend and collapse, while extreme flamboyance and absurdity create a playful yet unsettling experience, engaging audiences in a uniquely grotesque operatic journey.

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Impact and Achievements of Yum!:

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The Yum! Project embodies a commitment to inclusion and diversity, led by Studio M.A.R.S., a female-led multicultural collective. This leadership sets a strong precedent for diverse representation within the arts. The artistic direction of the project is spearheaded by LGBTQIA+, highlighting underrepresented voices and providing a prominent platform.

 

Yum! engages with pressing societal issues such as climate change, class, identity, and self-obsession through its innovative participatory XR music theater format. This approach dissolves the traditional boundaries between performers and the audience, creating a more inclusive space where diverse perspectives are valued and integral to the narrative. By weaving together satire, dark humor, and social commentary, the project facilitates a rich dialogue on complex themes, enhancing community understanding and interaction. The spirit of innovation is a cornerstone of Yum!, influencing every aspect from thematic exploration to audience engagement and the strategic use of technology, positioning the project as a leader in modern artistic ventures.

 

Central to Yum!'s narrative is an exploration of the environmental impacts of climate change, emphasizing the urgency of collective action and environmental stewardship. It highlights the consequences of unsustainable food production practices and the looming risks of food scarcity, encouraging audiences to reflect critically on these issues. The use of  XR technology intensifies this engagement by juxtaposing actual and fabricated realities, challenging the audience's perceptions and urging them to question the constructed illusions that influence their understanding of the world.

 

Furthermore, Yum! delves into themes of synthetic living and the artificial nature of contemporary food consumption, advocating for sustainable practices to combat climate change. This exploration is not only a call to action but also a prompt for audiences to reassess their environmental impact and the choices they make daily.

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