Lion and Unicorn Theatre (studio)
24 June 2023 (released)
25 June 2023
The set - a conference on intelligence, or, more accurately, a room within the event venue, where the main characters are trapped in, with no phone signal.
The characters - Dick, a software developer (Luca Lavagetto) who is about to deliver a presentation on his invention - an app with chatbots smart enough to pass the Turing Test and hence fool people into mistaking them as real humans; Tom, a fellow presenter (Leena Mckoff) who happens to be in the same room, seemingly trying to interrogate Dick; and Harry, an abstract and suspicious, silent and faceless figure (Daniel Formosa).
The conversations between Dick and Tom are careful, sharp and clever - sparking debates on various subjects, such as identities, boundaries, artificial intelligence, life, soul, morality and cannibalism.
Written by Neil Weatherall, co-directed by Makoff and Julie Drake, and presented by 5Go Theatre Co., the play is a creative, surreal and absurd piece of dark comedy, exploring and challenging concepts in relation to humans, AI and what the future might hold.
With its clean and minimalist stage design, symbolic colours of props and costumes, as well as sharp and clinical lighting - the show demonstrates a brilliant artistic direction.
Another highlight would be the fantastic performances by the cast - the banter and chemistry between Lavagetto and Makoff, the intensity and characterisation of each of them, and the impressively brilliant miming by Formosa - have all contributed to the success of the play.
I also couldn’t help but imagine the play to be referencing the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, written by Philip K. Dick, first published in 1968 (and later adapted to the Blade Runner films). Although there are differences between the novel and this play, there are, I believe, ideas that echo, making it even more interesting and inspiring.
A very smart, thought-provoking and enjoyable experience overall.
