Extended Reality as seen through the eyes of © ORNAGH

Hastings extended reality artist goes to Edinburgh

Ornagh is a contemporary, immersive artist who is off to Edinburgh this weekend for the world premiere of The Ode Islands – a collaboration between Ornagh XR Studios and Immersiv.es. The six-person creative team behind the production are all based locally. Erica Smith dons her headset and enters their world of extended reality.

A woman journeys across surreal islands in a blend of theatre, virtual reality, autobiography and interactive storytelling. The performance is directed and performed by Ornagh with a digital cast of: Him, Fuego, The Nors, The GLDs, The Shaperson, Hippokiss.

Blending live performance with responsive virtual reality, this new one-woman show unfolds in a fully digital environment that shifts in real time with the performer’s movement and emotional state. At its centre is a woman, Ornagh, caught in a storm and cast adrift across a chain of surreal islands – each representing a different facet of her identity, from domestic roles to sexuality, gender, and body image. As she journeys through these shifting landscapes, she confronts the societal expectations that have shaped her, seeking to shed them and rediscover who she truly is.

The GLDs © ORNAGH

With a supporting cast of digital characters also performed by Ornagh, the narrative is carried entirely through the artist’s body, voice, and the digital worlds that surround her. Motion capture brings to life a series of fantastical characters she meets along the way, AI manipulation shapes their voices, and satellite data – provided by ArtEO.earth, Imperative Space, European Space Agency, Copernicus and NASA – forms the striking virtual terrain. The result is a fragmented yet visceral exploration of memory, myth, and the boundaries of self.

In collaboration with creative studio Immersiv.es, each ticket includes access to a digital journey that begins at the moment of booking and continues beyond the performance. Blending digital content, augmented reality, story fragments and digital keepsakes, the Immersive Ticket extends the narrative beyond the stage, deepening audience interaction and engagement throughout the entire experience.

Rabbits got your tongue © ORNAGH

Creator and performer Ornagh said, “The Ode Islands is a retrospective of my existing works, where each virtual reality environment I’ve created serves as a backdrop for this new theatrical experience. As a contemporary artist and a woman, I confront themes of gender, sexuality, and body image through layered, immersive storytelling. By harnessing the power of digital tools and AI, I invite the audience to join me on a journey of reimagining what freedom can look like in this digital age.”

Immersiv.es is reimagining the live event journey through its Immersive Ticket platform. Acting as a companion before, during, and after the event, the ticket delivers a stream of personalised, AI-powered content designed to build anticipation, enhance the experience, and forge a deeper emotional connection between audience, story, and performance.

Ornagh is a contemporary artist from Ireland, now based in Hastings, whose work explores themes of gender, sexuality, mental health, addiction, and consciousness. Beginning with video art, performance, and installation, she later brought her practice into XR—blending drag-inspired visuals, motion capture, and virtual reality to create layered, immersive experiences.

Her work has been showcased internationally, from the Turner Gallery to exhibitions in Lisbon, Paris, and Milan. In 2015, she founded The Nave Collective to use art for social change, and in 2021, she launched Ornagh XR Studios, merging digital and physical worlds through surreal, multi-sensory performances and installations. This year, she makes her debut at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and will headline the Coastal Currents Festival later in the season.

The Ode Islands will be at Pleasance at EICC, Lammermuir Theatre
from 31 July to 16 August 2025 (excluding 4, 5, 11 & 12), at 4pm.
Running time is 45 minutes. It is suitable for ages 12+
This show contains strobe lighting, nudity and strong language.
Preview: Thursday 31 July: £15 (£12.50 concs)
Wed–Thur: £12.50 (£9.50 concs)
Fri–Sun: £15 (£12.50 concs)
www.pleasance.co.uk | 0131 556 6550

You can read more about Ornagh here, and on her website, plus
X (Twitter): @Ornaghworld
Instagram: @ornaghworld
Facebook: facebook.com/ornaghworld
Youtube: @ornagh

The cofounders of Immersiv.es are Ornagh, Ben Dawson and Iain Funnell
Director and performer: Ornagh
Producer: Iain Funnell
Sound designer: Ben Dawson
Choreographer: Rosie Greenwood
Technical artist: Lee Powell
Drama lead: Joanna Poulton
The production is supported by Co Star Labs, BFI and Creative UK

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