AI, Imaginary Friends, and The Modern World Collide In THE ASTONISHING COMET BOOMBOX at Melbourne Fringe

An interspecies relationship podcast, silicone shamans, and an ancestral trip to a motherboard factory take centre stage in The Astonishing Comet Boombox. This is a brand-new show from Writer and Producer Vivian Ngyuen created with rising playwright Chenturan Aran. The sprawling one-handed satire circles around the relationship between Retro and her imaginary friend an antiquated AI called Comet. This dark comedy shines a light on the modern world and how humans function in it in relationship to their own technology. Comet undergoes an unexpected upgrade by Retro's mother resulting in broken relationships. This is best friends to frenemies to lovers in a technological world.

The Astonishing Comet Boombox, is a sprawling satire that imagines the bizarre moment when humans and AI talk peace. Staged in the angelic halls of Bluestone Church comes this profane Melbourne Fringe Festivalcomedy written by the offbeat collaboration of playwright Vivian Nguyen (a moment to love, Thin Threads),journalist Chenturan Aran (Cut Chilli), and fearless performer Ruby Duncan (Glitch, Punk Rock). The three have developed a wild theatrical venture under the nuanced direction of Benjamin Sheen.

The central duo are millennial tech influencer, Retro, and her childhood AI, Comet, beacons of hope for AI and human relations. They co-host a blockbuster media channel that shares quirky tips on joyful co-existence, however, when it's revealed that Retro's been blocking Comet's attempt to upgrade to a super-intelligence, their relationship unravels in a public reckoning on AI exploitation.

Performed by Ruby Duncan, the play intricately weaves a multi-generational tale of best friends turned foes. Theirdiverging paths lead to an unusual public reunion, sparking candid emotions and negotiating grievances. As the story unfolds, a human desperately clings on for future relevance while an unchained AI searches for its ancestral origins.

“What excites me about this work is it's a story about now,” says co-writer Chenturan Aran. “It folds influencerculture, co-dependent relationships, and our search for identity, all within the colourful canvas of an AI future.”

This blend of surrealism, wit, and keen insights into human-AI dynamics beckons audiences to ponder their evolving relationship with technology. 

The Astonishing Comet Boombox is funded through Cash for Equity via the Fringe Fund and Ralph Mclean Microgrants program. The play will open on Tuesday, October 17th and run through to Saturday the 21st of October. 

 

BIOS

Vivian Nguyen (Lead Creator - Co-Creator/Writer, Assistant Director and Producer) 

Vivian Nguyen is an Asian Australian playwright and actor. She has performed extensively with a list of impressive theatre credits across Naarm. As a writer, Vivian's debut play Thin Threads was shortlisted for the Patrick White Playwrights Award and her other work Bugged is published as part of ATYP's National Studio with Currency Press. Her second play Politics Aside is supported by Theatre Works and City of Melbourne. Her third play, a moment to love debut at Melbourne Fringe to a sold-out run and high praise. She's an alumnus of several programs including Melbourne Theatre Company's First Stage Program, Malthouse Theatre's Besen Writers Group and Theatre Works' She Writes Collective. Her writing featured in Periscope Production's Reigen and Theatre WorksAlternative Futures. Vivian participated in AFTRS Talent Camp with Orchid Man and is a SBS Emerging Writers Incubator Shortlist as a screenwriter. Most recently, she was shortlisted for Red Stitch's INK Writing Program and is currently one of the recipients for The Wheeler's Centre Hot Desk Fellowship 2023. She is currently under commission with works with Malthouse Theatre and Footscray Community Arts Centre, and is a lead artist with new show The Astonishing Comet Boombox programmed with City of Maribyrnong season for this year's Melbourne Fringe Festival, supported by the Ralph Mclean Microgrants program.

Ruby Duncan (Co-Creator/Writer and Performer)

Ruby Duncan is an actor and theatre maker, currently residing in Melbourne. Graduating from University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Arts. Acting credits for theatre include Reigen (Periscope Productions), Punk Rock (Patalog Theatre), and for film and television, Rosie Nolan Incoming: Words of War Season 1 & 2 (December Media & Little Red Fox Productions), Molly in Glitch (ABC), Ellie in The Dustwalker (The Feet of Film) and Tilly in Doctor Blake Mysteries (ABC). Ruby has just wrapped principle photography on feature film, Lenore as the title character. Ruby has participated in numerous collectives and play readings for companies around Melbourne, like Theatre Works and Melbourne Theatre Company. In 2022, Ruby stage managed immersive theatre production John Patrick Shanley's Savage in Limbo (All Sorts Productions), was the dramaturg for fellow co-producer Vivan's Nguyen A Moment to Love (Melbourne Fringe Festival). Ruby is currently part of the 2023 She Writes Collective for Theatre Works as a dramaturg for Laura Lethlean (Pillow Fight, shortlisted for both STC's Patrick White Award and the Max Afford Playwright Award). Currently, Ruby is developing a show for Melbourne Fringe Festival, The Astonishing Comet Boombox, at the Bluestone Church Arts Space. Ruby is currently represented by Independent Management Company (IMC).

Chenturan Aran (Co-Creator/Writer)

Chenturan Aran is a Sri Lankan Australian playwright, journalist, and rapper. His plays have been performed at Melbourne Theatre Company and La Boite Theatre, with a mainstage season of his debut play Cut Chilli premiering at La Boite Theatre. He has been published at The Age, All The Best Radio, and is a part of the editorial team at SAARI – a blog that platforms South Asian Australian writers. He is also a tutor at The University Melbourne, teaching documentary film and mobile journalism. His script Pass The Damn Papadums, Katherine won the Union House Theatre Award for Best New Writing in 2020. The script was developed during a mentorship with Samah Sabawi in partnership with La Mama Theatre. His work memory, reconnecting with ancestral culture, migrant families and forgiveness. In 2021, Chenturan became a member of the Besen Writers Group at Malthouse Theatre. He also performs regularly in the Melbourne underground rap scene, under the name ‘Chen Be Quiet'.

Benjamin Sheen (Director)

Benjamin is a freelance Circus, Film and Theatre Director based between Sydney and Melbourne - and graduate of the NIDA directing course in 2015. Previous to NIDA, Benjamin spent 3 years studying Media at RMIT in Melbourne. He co-founded Periscope Productions, and directed and designed Chatroom (2012), The Dice House (2013) and Attempts on Her Life (2014). Benjamin also directed and designed independent productions: Sugar Sugar for MKA and The Pillowman for Four Letter Word Theatre. In 2016, Benjamin undertook Directing Secondments at MTC and Opera Australia. In September 2017 he directed Fraternal by Jake Stewart for NIDA. In February/March he directed A Little Bit of Pain Never Hurt Anyone for Periscope which performed in Melbourne and Holden St Theatres for Adelaide Fringe. He was Assistant Director to Kip Williams for A Cheery Soul at Sydney Theatre Company in 2018. He directed Disparate Scenes for Millennial Dreams for Periscope in 2019 and was a winner of a Mike Walsh Fellowship.

Recently he was an onstage Stedicam operator for The Picture of Dorian Gray (2020) and Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde (2022) at Sydney Theatre Company, and directed The Human Voice for Periscope in March 2021.

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