We separate the project and the performance.

"Project" is a VIRTUAL ACTION PROJECT, and at the same time it is a form of presentation of material familiar to today's young audience.

The play “Helmet of Horror”, based on the novel by Victor Pelevin, is a part of the “Backstage” project. This is its main act, actually the second of three acts, and is the semantic basis of the project.

Project implies the possibility to combine several conceptual layers (such as simple short descriptions versus philosophical concepts, psychoanalysis, literary works and their analysis, theater, or NFT exhibitions) with several multimedia layers. The multimedia layers consist of hyperlinks to each other.
This juxtaposition is an allegory or projection of consciousness, of cognitive abilities. The project involves combining different media capabilities such as VR, AR, AI, chatbots, AI based voice assistant, text, video, NFT. As a result of combining them, they produce a greater artistic and cognitive effect through different impacts on the viewer. Transitions between “multimedia layers” create a number of effects, such as: information is perceived with more interest, becomes less boring for perception, becomes easy to perceive for people accustomed to “click TV”, becomes similar to an independent study due to which it causes more interest and memorization, the process of learning becomes similar to a quest or adventure

This juxtaposition seems to be an allegory or projection of consciousness, cognitive abilities. The project involves combining different media possibilities such as VR, AR, AI, chatbots, voice assistant based on artificial intelligence, text, video, NFT. Their combination results in artistic and cognitive effects. The transitions between “multimedia layers” create a number of effects, such as: information is perceived with more interest, new points of view emerge. The presentation becomes unusual, but easily perceivable for people accustomed to “click perception”, it becomes similar to independent research due to which it causes interest and memorization, the process of learning becomes similar to a quest or adventure and becomes more exciting according to the principles common to the game.

The project can be organized both in a game and in a research (training) way.

The idea of the project is to talk to the modern audience in the language of virtualization, their way of presenting life problems, and to offer (without mentoring) in the same language options for successful behavior for modern people.

The fundamental novelty of the show is the multiple literal layers of content presented to the viewer. The viewer can choose whether to watch all layers or to stay at the level of one layer, for example, the spectacular effect. Because of the interactivity, each subsequent performance will be unique and interesting again. The show is both a spectacular and an intellectual performance.

The intellectual components can be returned to and studied separately, the performance itself can be reviewed once or by buying a new ticket.

Four planes (realities) intersect in the performance: the meta-universe, virtual, augmented, and real realities. These intersections are a spectacular allegory of consciousness. And consciousness is the main character of the performance (and, as it were, of V. O. Pelevin's work).

The antagonist of the Helmet of Terror is the owner (creator and master) of this helmet of terror, which is an allegory of the mind (conscious and unconscious). There is a desire to make the motto of the performance that “we want the viewer taking off VR glasses after the performance to remove the ‘helmet of horror’ of his mind”. According to the idea of the piece, by removing the helmet of terror we see the workings of the mind, through which we gain mindfulness and genuine attention.

The VR industry is currently well developed in the format of games and simulators. There is a minimum of artistic or philosophical content. A new language is not yet emerging. We are making a movement in that direction

The quality and quantity of content, VR or 3D performances in particular, does not fill many niches around the world, despite the high demand of society, and does not move into a new quality.

We propose to combine a new artistic approach to the possibilities and qualities of contemporary production simultaneously with an approach to the artistic, philosophical and psychological reflection of both theater and the virtual reality and AI industry.

We envision operating in the paradigm of metamodernity.

The viewer (meets) sees eight characters, each of whom finds themselves in their own enclosed room. They can only communicate with each other and only through a special chat room. As they try to figure out what's going on, they learn the strange circumstances of their confinement, the circumstances of each other's lives, and their perspectives. The characters literally travel through the labyrinths of their minds, their quest resolving itself in the most unexpected ways.

We want to put the viewer inside the story. New technologies are used for this purpose: virtual and augmented reality, motion capture, real-time streaming.

The places where the characters find themselves are drawn in virtual reality, but the actors play in specially prepared real locations. With the help of motion capture and streaming service actors exist in the space of the performance in real time.

Immediately after purchasing a ticket, the spectator can preliminarily explore the meta universe of the performance. After the performance (for some time) in the meta universe of the performance to study in detail the detailed, specially prepared interpretations of the work, discuss them with actors and other specialists. Acquire digital art objects (NFT) and much more.

We are developing a model of a physical visit of a spectator to a theater (specially prepared location) where the performance is played out in real time, i.e. the spectator sees simultaneously a physical, virtual and augmented reality performance. Very interesting effects are possible.

- A philosophical work about the birth of man and his inner world.

The novel is written in the form of a play, the heroes of which are characters metaphorically representing the components of personality, certain archetypes.

We want to focus the viewer's attention on several semantic layers of the work (which we believe are very relevant at the moment):

1. What is consciousness, how it works, what happens in consciousness.
2. We view the process of how consciousness works as a mechanical process where instead of seeing life directly, we communicate with projections of the mind and its (communication) surrogates. We want to draw attention to the focus and value of mindfulness and living communication.
3. To consider the workings of subpersonalities within a single individual and how subpersonalities manifest.
4. about the complexity of their components and their psychological algorithms.

The philosophical idea is that = The better a person realizes himself, the better he is realized in relation to life in general.

We want the spectator to see the value of direct communication after the performance, to take off the Helmet of Horror and “virtual glasses of the mind”. We want to say that gadgets (wrong focus) cannot replace live communication, but are (and this is what happens in the play) only tools of cognition and progress. It is a great tool, but it must be in its proper place.

At the meeting in Davos in 2024, the problem of information distortion was identified as the main problem of mankind.

The mechanism of consciousness is as incomprehensible and unexplored as other dimensions. We want to broadcast this theme.

When science fiction writers described the beautiful worlds of virtual and augmented reality, which delighted and raised the expectations of a generation with the possibilities revealed to mankind. Now there are meta-universes in games and social media, but mass industries are far from exploring culture and philosophy.

AI companies, Apple and the like are pushing the industry forward with their products, but the lack of content and its cultural level is stopping the industry from growing. We are taking a step in that direction.

The development of many of today's technologies is intertwined in an unusual way in the project and presented in new favorable conditions.

Analysts predict that the VR market will actively grow up to 50 times in the next 10 years. The industry will need new approaches, markets, expiriences and solutions. We propose a new approach, experiential and show philosophy.

The show and its meta-universe with certain caveats and rules can be used as a platform for advertising, direct sales, NFT auctions.

has many interpretations.

Here are the critics' reviews:

“This short text about eight characters in search of an author, trapped inside a labyrinthine chat room and trying to conquer their fear, has become one of the main cultural events of the season.”

Pavel Basinsky writes: “Pelevin's myth novel is written about the Internet. The Internet is a labyrinth in which the Minotaur supposedly dwells, capable of devouring us, but in fact the Minotaur lives in us. Get rid of your Minotaur, and the Internet will become an ordinary information and communication tool”.

Olga Lebedushkina and other critics have similar statements.

“Pelevin's helmet is capable of generating terror not in those around him, but in the one who could wear it - and remains unwearable.”

“A great deal of space is given to the manipulation of consciousness, this is what the Nutcracker does professionally, this is what his “labyrinth” consists of - for everyone, not just the Minotaur, has his own “labyrinth”.

Irina Caspe warns : “...the figure of the critic <...> is firmly implanted in the text, is an integral part of it”, and at the same time “the instance [of the critic] is exposed as superfluous, untenable and even absurd”.

“Or one could conclude that Helmet of Terror is a play whose characters are different facets of the same personality, and the time period it describes is the time before the birth of a human being.”

Lev Danilkin: “indeed, it is easy for us to imagine a personality whose different parts resemble different characters in Helmet of Terror.”

In addition to the previous, Alexei Vernitsky writes that this is the birth of an enlightened person from the point of view of Buddhism, the philosophy of which Pelevin pays much attention to.

The characters are lined up in the form of an acronym:

* Monstradamus
* IsoldA
* Nutscracker
* Organizm(-:
* Theseus (TheZeus)
* Ariadna
* UGLI 666
* Romeo-y-Cohiba
* Sartrik (or Sliff_zoSSchitan)

We want to make the play an exploration of the inner world of man. About liberation from fears and gaining awareness of the world and oneself. The spectator sees the play of the mind and receives the keys to liberation from inner fears and conflicts with the world.

We explore the theme of the intimacy of consciousness. The theme of inner states of personality, their interactions, and interpersonal problems in the context of the closed personality.

In parallel, there is a framework of social problems: the same loneliness, distortion of information, manipulation of consciousness, double standards.

In parallel, we want to explain the actions of the characters from the psychological side. We want to make a psychological analysis in the form of interactivity on psychotypes, transactional analysis, game theory.

We want to use the possibilities of virtual and augmented reality as an allegory of the relationship between the inner (mental) and physical worlds. To simulate, recreate or interpret mindfulness. Where it is and when it disappears. To create connections between these disparate worlds in the language of theater and innovative technology. As a maximum to show methods and practices of mindfulness.

The performance is played out by actors in real time but presented in VR, AR and on a real stage. We consider the juxtaposition of the real and virtual worlds as an allegory of awareness, the interaction of consciousness and the physical world.

Buying a ticket for tomorrow, the spectator can already see today how the performance is prepared today, tomorrow watch the live performance, and then explore the meta-universe shown in the show, explore what he is interested in and look from a different perspective.

We work with the backstage of the performance in a special way and make it a simulation of the underside of consciousness and the interpretation of the performance. We let the viewer into the kitchen of the play and into the author's studio and into the consciousness of the characters. This new solution is a know-how, it can attract the viewer and sell it in the ticket price.

Virtual and augmented reality allows you to get interactive feedback from the show, actors, script, philosophy imitating intuition and mentor. Virtual and augmented reality is made an allegory of the intuition or Guru as appropriate.

We envision performance options. On the set or in the theater (with enhanced cognitive experience) and as a viewing of the show when connected to the internet remotely from the theater stage.

The myth of Theseus and the Minotaur is interpreted in a variety of ways.

The historical interpretation is of little interest to us.

It is a story about the imperial couple of Zeus' son Minos and his wife Persephae, daughter of the sun god Helios, who was very insatiable in sex and conceived from a bull, as a result of which the Minotaur was born. He, being the subject of discord and gossip, was at the same time a very fierce killer, and the only way to subdue him was to imprison him in a labyrinth where criminals were sacrificed to him. At the same time, the Minotaur demanded "innocent souls". One of them becomes Theseus, the lover of Ariadne, the legitimate daughter of Minos and Persifaia, who gives Theseus a ball of thread with which he could escape from the labyrinth. Theseus killed the Minotaur and got out of the labyrinth.

In principle, the fibula of the myth is about jealousy and love, but these feelings are the key to understanding the darkness in the labyrinth of the human mind and a deeper understanding of the work of consciousness.