Review: Fisheye, Omnibus Theatre – Everything Theatre

Review: Fisheye, Omnibus Theatre

Have you ever puzzled why your good speaker is feminine? What made its creators give it that voice? Does it consolation us greater than a male one? Delve deeper, and think about how such Artificial Intelligence may address queerness if it has by no means been programmed with details about that idea. And if AI is made within the picture of its creator, how may it deal with concepts which they’ve by no means thought of? Sam Pout’s Fisheye immerses us in such ideas in an extremely refreshing manner, at occasions humorously, and with a depth that’s greater than satisfying.

Alecks (Ruaridh Aldington) and Murphy (Flora Douglas) are alone on a desolate world. Except they aren’t on Earth, however somewhat have been uploaded to the cloud, managed by AI Iona (Mai Weisz). They aren’t completely alone as a result of Phi (Clare Noy) is there, though she isn’t human, however somewhat a glitch within the machine code – a stray programme that shouldn’t exist. Phi presents Murphy what she actually desires however can’t fairly carry herself to confess; as a result of absolutely she and Alecks are proper for one another, man and lady in an ideal world?

Fisheye is a type of performs the place you could discover new meanings from repeat viewings, a few of which could not have even been the author’s intention; is Phi a part of Murphy or is the wordplay inside their names merely to permit for some enjoyable with introductions? What are definitely absolutely meant, although, are the non secular analogies. This world is the Garden of Eden in AI kind. Plants and hanging greenery work effectively to ascertain this, while flickering lights and crackling sounds remind us it’s inside a pc. Alecks and Murphy are the Adam and Eve, besides Eve isn’t eager on going forth and multiplying with Adam. Of course a Garden of Eden wants temptation. Here, it’s Phi, tempting Murphy together with her apple (cider). All of which makes Iona God.

Within this non secular framework, Fisheye questions what occurs when AI is created within the picture of its creator, and the place this leaves those that don’t match inside their ideas of ‘normal’. How might an AI handle concepts of queerness if it has by no means been programmed to? Much as non secular bigots can argue queerness is in opposition to God’s will as a result of the Bible states man is made in God’s picture, Fisheye presents the identical concept inside an AI atmosphere. Here, queerness is a virus within the code that Iona can’t comprehend and must have deleted in order to not corrupt every thing else.  

The complexity of the play is dealt with splendidly by its three actors. Aldington’s portrayal of Alecks slowly remodeling into a non secular zealot, and his anger at Murphy’s refusal to evolve to his concept of perfection, is actually chilling. Douglas presents Murphy with a degree of confusion, struggling to simply accept her sexuality and persuade Iona that she will not be a virus. Lastly, Noy’s Phi presents a directness and virtually childlike nature akin to is required of a personality that’s simply pc code.

The play’s one (minor) fault is that it maybe tries too exhausting to tie issues up neatly come the tip. Pout ought to have a bit of extra religion in his writing and belief the viewers to interpret his meanings. Instead, the closing scenes develop into a bit of drawn out, after we ought to be left with extra of a punch.

Fisheye is an unimaginable piece of writing with a depth that leaves room for infinite debate afterwards. It will problem you to take a look at your good speaker and its feminine voice in an entire new manner. I’ve already been asking Alexa some very odd inquiries to see what she actually thinks about issues that don’t match some individuals’s concepts of regular!

Written by: Sam Pout
DIrected by: Rosa Higgs
Produced by: Sam Pout and Alice Eve
Lighting design by: Han Sayles

FIsheye performs as a part of Omnibus Theatre’s AI Festival till 9 July. Further info and bookings right here.