In The Future, Little Bulb has drawn on research from the finest minds in science, mathematics and philosophy to look at the potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it could have on us.
‘Naturally engages the audience’s empathy’: WOKE – Battersea Arts Centre ★★★★
Written and performed by Apphia Campbell, Woke connects the experiences of the civil rights movement in the 1960s-70s with events of the present day.
‘The eccentric inventiveness is thoroughly entertaining’: THE FUTURE – Battersea Arts Centre
The eccentric inventiveness of what Little Bulb has done is thoroughly entertaining.
Little Bulb Theatre: The Future, Battersea Arts Centre 2019. Photo: Adam Trigg
I loved Little Bulb Theatre’s last production Orpheus so much I saw it twice, so I was really excited to see their new work The Future.
It projects us into the world of three scientists who, with the help of a compere/conductor/presenter (Clare Beresford), explore super intelligence – AI – and the impact it will have on humanity.
This being Little Bulb their take is executed with quirkiness, music and song.
The scientists wear tinfoil on their heads and have an idiosyncratic way of talking that manages to be nerdy, dry and humorous all at the same time. Shamira Turner is particularly brilliant in her style of delivery.
Living with super intelligence
AI is represented by a box on a stand – the genie contained – and the play (and it’s rock-inflected songs) explore the good and bad of living with super intelligence.
Scenarios and presentations are played out by the scientists in their own quirky style of fun and you find yourself laughing at them just as much as with.
Little Bulb Theatre: The Future, Battersea Arts Centre 2019. Photo: Adam Trigg
Sometimes points are embellished with songs which, hand on heart, I didn’t like much. It’s a personal thing, I find it hard to engage with narrative delivered in this way and musical theatre does have a tendency to make me cringe. Sorry.
It did temper my enjoyment, but there was a lot I did like, the eccentric inventiveness of what Little Bulb has done is thoroughly entertaining.
Artificial intelligence is a meaty topic and not one that is going to be properly explored and challenged in 60 minutes but The Future touches on some interesting aspects of the debate, creating a platform for further discussion.
Little Bulb Theatre: The Future, Battersea Arts Centre 2019. Photo: Adam Trigg
All the characters in the play are based on real scientists with some dramatic license and we are left with a selection of their written works,which inspired the piece, to peruse.
See The Future at Battersea Arts Centre until June 29th.
It’s 60 minutes without an interval and it gets ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ for inventiveness and fun but ⭐️⭐️ for the songs.
You might also like to read:
My review of Little Bulb’s Orpheus
Fringe review: Woke, Battersea Arts Centre, a powerful look at American civil rights activism now and in the 70s.
From the archives: Remembering the travellator in the Young Vic’s production of Joseph K with Rory Kinnear.
And more about Little Bulb Theatre.
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Apphia Campbell gives a powerful and engaging performance in Woke at Battersea Arts Centre and the play’s message about how much hasn’t changed is firmly nailed to the mast.
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Ridiculusmus is at the top of their game and Die! Die! Die! Old People Die!, complete with fart jokes, is an absolute must-see for anyone who wants to be awed by what two men on a small stage can achieve.
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Fantastic collaboration between Rachel Bagshaw and Chris Thorpe results in the really amazing show The Shape of Pain at Wilton’s Music Hall.
‘A choral, beatboxing, rap-infused version’: FRANKENSTEIN – Battersea Arts Centre
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‘I am totally immersed in this trial’: THE JUSTICE SYNDICATE – Battersea Arts Centre
I’m not sure whether The Justice Syndicate is a play, event, experiment, or interactive performance. Whichever of this, it doesn’t really matter and certainly presents an interesting future for theatre.
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‘It touches the emotional parts that other media simply don’t’: ORPHEUS – Battersea Arts Centre
Little Bulb, an award-winning company of actor-musicians which is based in the South East and tours nationwide, has revived their version of Orpheus, and the result is breathtaking.
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