Zo Tan, from Singaporean youth theatre company Conundrum Theatre, gives an insight into their AI-inspired production Only Human. Zo plays uBot, an advanced robot, in the production.
What’s been the funniest or most unexpected thing that’s happened during rehearsals for “Only Human”?
How much backstory we’d be able to develop for the character ‘Man’. Despite him being a somewhat throwaway character, we’ve expanded his backstory with jokes and improvised lines. (He’s now a cannibal who ate his son…!)
How do you guys manage to balance school and such a demanding performance schedule, especially with some of you having already been in professional productions?
I find myself grabbing for time and using any spare moments I have to cover academics or anything feasible. Currently, I’m missing school to be at the Fringe, but I’m lucky to have friends who fill me in on what happens in class, and my teachers send me the slides so I can self-study!
Can you tell us about a scene in “Only Human” that you’re particularly excited for the audience to see, and why it stands out to you?
The dance. It’s quite possibly the most absurd part of the whole show, and I think it really highlights the craziness that Conundrum Theatre is known for.
Since “Only Human” draws inspiration from classics like Waiting for Godot and Dr. Faustus, do you have a favorite moment or line from these works that you tried to bring into your performance?
There is a scene where the Roomba carries out our version of Lucky’s monologue and I always thought this tribute to Waiting For Godot was very smart. Our version is similar to the nonsense that Lucky says, and, similar to Lucky, helps to highlight how even simple technology which we take for granted, like Roomba, can be more intelligent than it first appears.
What’s the coolest or most surprising thing you’ve learned about AI and our future world while working on this play?
I’ve learned that technology is advancing extremely quickly and this play only helps to highlight it. While working on Only Human, I have been more aware about the potential threats of AI and have tied it in with what I learned in school. For example, it’s unreliability, and the need for our morals, ethics and law to change and progress alongside this new technology.
Conundrum Theatre’s Only Human is on 2-10 August at Venue 38, the Space Triplex Studio, as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Tickets are available at: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/only-human.