Review: ROSSUM'S UNIVERSAL ROBOTS at Cutting Ball Theater

Rossum’s Universal Robots

By Karel Capek

Translated by Paul Selver

Directed and adapted by Chris Steele

Cutting Ball Theater

From an original script by Czech playwright Karel Capek written in the 1920’s, robots have taken over and nearly eliminated humanity. Can’t happen you say? Never, you say? Think again. Adapted and updated by director Chris Steele poses the ethical questions raised by our current fascination with AI – can a machine become human and outgrow its needs for its creators.

The melodramatic heaviness of the concepts of apocalypse is balanced by Steele’s use of satire and physical comedy with four robot actors presenting a ‘human’ play supposedly explaining humor. Like Woody Allen in “Sleeper”, Jesse Dim, Rebecca Pingree, Alexis Royeca and Nic A. Sommerfeld chew up the scenery with their robotic movements and monotone voices.

As the humans, the story involves the scientists who create the robots and Helena, the US President’s daughter who comes to ‘liberate’ the bots by adding emotions and desires. As just laborers, the bots will free humans and reduce prices. But in adding emotions, the bots now want to supervise, master, then rule. We’ve seen such rumblings in the film Westworld” and more eerily in “Terminator”. Next time you talk to Siri, maybe think about her feelings.

 Rossum’s Universal Robots continues through November 12th. For more information, please visit www.cuttingball.com  or call the box office at (415) 525-1205.

Photo Credit: Ben Krantz