EDINBURGH 2026: Review: COPYCAT, Pleasance
Copycat runs at Edfringe until 31 August
Copycat is a new show from Worklight Theatre looking at imitation and how worried we should be about AI.
Joe Sellman-Leava is a wonderful storyteller; this we know from previous shows Labels and Fanboy. It turns out he’s also pretty great at impressions. Starting this performance by telling us about his high school teacher who was one of the first ones he mimicked, it's a weirdly convincing impression considering we’ve never met the guy.
He delves into a range of political and pop culture impressions, which work really well before delving into the definition of impressions. His teacher who he respected so much, once said that inspiration comes from borrowing other ideas. So is that what AI is?
Sellman-Leava has been working as a children’s television writer for years and adhering to strict broadcasting rules. Depending on where the media will be shown determines which rules they have to follow, and one of those is not doing something dangerous that children can copy. We’re told that copying is bad, so why is tech now so focused on copying?
This is a fascinating and well-executed piece of theatre that will be relevant to pretty much anyone in this day and age. Sellman-Leava looks at the morals of using AI and what these shortcuts are robbing us of in the long run. Copycat is a meaningful and thought-provoking piece that also manages to be thoroughly entertaining.
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