From Stage to Cyberspace: Intermediality and Performativity in Jennifer Haley’s The Nether

Jennifer Haley’s The Nether premiered in 2013 at the Kirk Douglas Theater. It is an interplay between stage and virtual reality (VR), also known as, cyberspace. This quality makes the play an example of “intermedial” theater, which links digital media elements to the performance on stage indissolubly. The play not only provides a rich exploration of intermediality that reshapes traditional notions of character and acting, but also the characters in the play are presented as having avatars in VR, which ultimately highlights the fluidity of roles based on identity. Applying Judith Butler’s theory of performative construction of identity and gender to analyze the characters, who are portrayed as having double identities and fulfilling fluid gender roles, is highly relevant in a play that uniquely blends dramatic performance with digital media to create a complex narrative landscape. By analyzing key scenes and particularly focusing on three major characters in the play, Sims, Doyle, and Morris, it is aimed in this study to see how performativity, as theorized by Butler, is redefined in virtual environments, as characters navigate identities mediated through digital avatars. The interaction between media both enhances the narrative but also prompts audiences to reflect on the significance of repetitive performance in gender and identity formation; therefore, this study also highlights the play’s innovative approach to media interaction and contributes to contemporary discussions on the relationship between theatre, digital technology, space, and gender studies.