Stage Door Theatre - Prince of Wales Pub
Written by and Starring: Jack Cray and Hannah Adams
Could you teach a robot to be human? This sci-fi show does just that! Comic, fun but lacks chemistry. Not quite what it says on the tin.
The show starts with one of the artificial intelligence robots, Evie played by Hannah Adams, sat on stage, waiting for her partner, Steve played by Jack Cray, to arrive. It's a short piece that follows the ups and downs of the two artificial intelligence robots learning how to be a human couple and what it means to be 'in love'. It is set up as a test and the structure of the show is set by the order of the tests. if they pass they get sent to earth. There are also sections of the show that require audience participation and the actors have to work around the participants and how they alter the scenes.
As a sci-fi piece and the actors playing robots the acting style is awkward and uncomfortable. This is to portray how they are learning to be human, this is done well, however, at times it does feel a little too awkward and as the piece goes on the characters do not seem to develop. As they are learning to be human, it would make sense for them to become visibly more human scene but scene. The moments they are showing chemistry that is natural and not forced does not feel believable. Jack Cray, as Steve does show that he is the stronger character that connects more to human feelings and the moment Evie sends him away you can see the clear hurt. Hannah Adams comedy comes from the bluntness of her character; how straight to the point she is and it is funny to watch, but sometimes the comedy is lost in the dryness.
The use of props and set did elevate the piece, for instance they wear electrical packs on their backs that through their costumes light up and this enhances their bot characters by making them appear manufactured. During the visitors scene (I was one of the visitors) they gave tea bags as drinks and this created comedy, because it showed how they did not understand how to make drinks. However, this would be a fantastic comic moment if they did not make a cup of tea in an earlier scene and their lack of understanding does not make sense. In the visitors scene, the bots mime giving the pair on stage a dinner and then urge the audience members to eat the invisible food that's on the table. When they inevitably mime using a knife and fork they say how it is a strange way to eat soup, this is a fantastic use of the participants not knowing what they are about to participate in and the comedy comes from this, it is a great scene and great use of the spacing to create a dinner party.
The piece as a whole was short, sweet and fun. It just lacked connection with the audience and was a bit too awkward at times. The structure was clear, well organised, each scene would benefit from character development and depth. The ending was a shock and felt like a complete change; which felt confusing. As the show is about learning to love and how to be a couple it felt this was not achieved and all the tests were a competition. This is not how the show was described, the aim felt scrambled. It can work well to do the opposite and shock the audience, however this blurred the message of the piece and made it feel puzzling. Chemistry test just needs a few more elements altered and the equation will be balanced. That being said; it was an easy watch, an interesting evening out and if you love a bit of audience participation like me then this show will give you your time to shine!
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