Review: Assisted, Omnibus Theatre

Review: Assisted, Omnibus Theatre

Summary

Rating

60

Good

A bleak drama where the dystopic control that AI-led voice assistants could have in our lives is subtly compared to the intrusiveness of a manipulative partner.

Have you ever wondered to what extent a voice assistant can influence the smooth running of a household? Are you an AI enthusiast, or do you think that everyday life should be as simple as possible? The AI Festival, currently running at the Omnibus Theatre, attempts to answer these and more questions on the interaction between humans and robots. The programme includes four different shows plus comedy, workshops, exhibitions and conversation, all focusing on how AI technology can contribute to the creative process.

Part of this festival, Oxia Theatre’s debut play Assisted is described as a “funny and searching exploration of love and domesticity in the near future” but comes across as a much bleaker and slightly alarming portrayal of a couple’s life. The story kicks off with Connie (Emma Wilkinson Wright) and Jordan (Graham Butler-Breen) entering his flat. He introduces his new voice assistant Alivia (Jessica Muna), whose female gender sparks a small controversy. “Why ‘she’ and not ‘it’?”  asks Connie, before being told by the machine itself that studies prove how female personas provide a more pleasant experience. It’s a state-of-the-art multi-modal AI, Jordan points out in awe, and ‘she’ can continuously intake personal data to get to know the householders in depth. Fortunately, the disagreement seems inconsequential for the loved-up pair and, on a whim, Jordan suggests that Connie moves in with him.

To follow, a handful of self-contained vignettes of everyday life unfold around the kitchen table, peppered with booze-fuelled games and hints as to a lively intimacy. Meanwhile, Alivia is frequently summoned to provide feedback on the couple’s relationship, choose music like a “glorified juke box” or analyse their socio-economic background.

Sadly, fifteen minutes into the hour-long piece, Jordan’s likeability begins to falter, as Connie’s desire to have a child is met with an initial enthusiasm that soon turns into compulsive control. Her ability to reproduce is questioned and Alivia suggests the use of a device that, fitted into the toilet, will monitor her fertility on a daily basis. Connie’s concern for the breach of personal space clashes with Jordan’s praise for how well-integrated medical sciences and AI have become. This is a sore subject that returns repeatedly and crucially contributes to the demise of the relationship.

Director Gareth Watkins choice to alternate the use of bright and dark lighting is key in cropping each scene as a freestanding item, but it is the upbeat soundtrack that is the real star of the show. Tunes from Kraftwerk, Ludacris, and Cardi B are pumped into the auditorium at every opportunity, keeping the audience engaged and breathing life into the play.

Despite Greg Wilkinson’s plot offering some tasty food for thought, the dialogues are bland, with stilted repartees that weigh down the acting to the point of making it occasionally awkward. A final twist is a real stroke of genius, highlighting how far some individuals are willing to trust the machine, but the storyline must take a step away from the commonplace of relationship dynamics.

Although the focus is intended to be on the detrimental effects of blindly following the guidance of AI-driven voice assistants, the drama craves a more organic look into the subtleties of how manipulative partners get under the skin. All the pointers are there but require fleshing out, and I wondered how beneficial an additional rewrite would be to fully unearth the topic. Ultimately, however, the creative team behind Assisted have taken a brave plunge into unchartered waters, providing a seminal work about an up-and-coming social issue that, in the next decade or so, is bound to reshape the very foundations of human interaction.

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Written by: Greg Wilkinson
Directed by: Gareth Watkins
Produced by: Oxia Theatre

Assisted played at Omnibus Theatre as part of their AI Festival. The show has completed its current run, but you can find information on the festival here.