Since 2019, a project has been run by the Administration for Cultural Development in Västra Götaland (Sweden), where the working method Techformance is developed to offer professional theatre for young audiences with new opportunities to create interactive performing arts. Within the framework of the project, a digital web application is being developed to give the encounter with theatre a new form and significance for children and young people, with or without neuropsychiatric disabilities. Five Swedish performing arts groups (Teater Jaguar, Masthuggsteatern, Unga Klara, Bombina Bombast, and Angereds Teater) have explored the tools through workshops and performances.

The Techformance method connects to the genre of immersive theatre (Machon 2017) and thus explores and develops the theatres' potential to meet an audience in new ways where the performance is not just an event in one space but rather consists of a relationship and interaction between audience and ensemble in an ongoing process. The method challenges the current audience contract and invites a long-term sustainable co-creation and audience relationship (Gadotti 2009). The audience's active participation via digital tools is a prerequisite for the performances to develop and offers a clear framework where children, with or without neuropsychiatric disabilities, can be part of the theatre performance before, after, and in the meeting with the ensemble. By this, the audience position is being challenged and gives new ways of perceiving the point of departure when playing for young audiences. The paper focuses on the following research questions: How are the digital tools in the Techformance method used in professional theatre for young audiences, and how do they challenge the audience position? How can the design of the tools function as resources for a young audience with or without neuropsychiatric disabilities? How does the Techformance method develop immersive theatre and rethink the concept of theatre for young audiences?