Frankenstein with a technological makeover
If you were given a second chance at life, would you take it? What if it was just an echo of a life, ‘a ripple in the water?’ This is the question More Life poses to an audience kept constantly on the edge of their seats.
Brought back to life by the same Meta-adjacent AI company who killed her in the first place, Bridget (Alison Halstead), finds herself living in a completely new world. It is 50 years after her death and almost everyone she knows has now died, leaving her to put her trust in all the wrong people.
The Frankenstein of this story is scientist Vic, played by a manic Marc Elliott. Desperate to make his project ‘work’ to drive what he sees as the progression of humanity, he is held to account only by his empathetic assistant Mike (Lewis MacKinnon), as we are shown two opposing sides of this transhumanist debate.
Created by the Kandinsky Theatre Company’s founders Lauren Mooney and James Yeatman, this Royal Court commission is masterful in both its ideas and presentation. Made in collaboration with a 6-strong cast of actors, the script has continued to evolve in the rehearsal room.
The result is a truly ensemble piece, as the actors sing together, voice each other’s characters and demonstrate brilliantly believable rapport. Tim McMullan plays Harry, a sinister husband to Bridget who, throughout his extended life has managed to lose his humanity along the way. McMullan is exceptional, paired with his new wife Davina (Helen Schlesinger), who symbolises how considered and self-centred his life has now become since Bridget’s death.
Set by Shankho Chaudhuri is versatile and interesting, transforming from a windowless laboratory to a futuristic homestead with only a few minor tweaks. Small nooks provide the perfect shelving for ornaments, but also seating for actors, who use standing microphones to create various vocal effects.
This piece thrives under James Yeatman’s masterful direction, utilising the performers to remarkable impact. Even in two-hander scenes, the ensemble is never far away, providing sound effects, humorous interjections and singing together as an ominous choir. Each actor embodies their characters with great immediacy and presence, only to seamlessly melt back into the nameless ensemble once their scene is complete.
This sensational piece of sci-fi theatre considers what the future will look like and more importantly, what life in the future will be. This play reminds the audience what makes life worth living and due to the current absence of life-extending technology, it’s never been more important to live it than now.