In Melbourne, we are thrust into a digital archive where a human worker (Williams) is erasing people’s unwanted memories right under the noses of his dancing robot overlords.
And the climax is a touching duet between a programmer (Martin) and a newly created childhood education android (Williams). Blade Runner and the myth of Pygmalion before it – explores the relationship between creator and creature, the question of consciousness, and whether being “human” has more to do with how you are treated than any quality you may have beyond your control.
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Martin and Williams are especially good in the closing scenes, but the acting is strong across the board; finely tuned to the conflicts that arise from our use (and misuse) of technology, from the curse of big data and surveillance culture to the wonder and threat of artificial intelligence.
Lo-fi yet evocative design elements—Silvia Weijia Shao’s versatile set, Tomas Gerasimidis’s highly differentiated lighting, Lili Wymond’s distorted sound, Ami Salinas’s static-filled projections—create three completely different sensory panels for actors to play within.
A lively, thought-provoking, entertaining and extremely impressive science fiction production from an independent company that is worth watching.
Reviewed by Cameron Woodhead
This review was written from a preview
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