Why the Manila staging of Lauren Gunderson's thriller 'anthropology' is an 'urgent' play to watch
There have been several fictional works in the past warning us about artificial intelligence taking over human roles, but now that technology is becoming more advanced, what once seemed like science fiction is now inching towards reality.
One work that explores the dark side of AI is anthropology by acclaimed playwright Lauren Gunderson, which will have its Asian premiere in Manila this March.
The story centers on Merril, an expert programmer who is plagued by the disappearance and death of her sister Angie. Unable to accept this, she uses her skills to bring her back as an AI. What begins as a coping mechanism quickly spirals into a complex web of obsession, blurring the dangerous line between a comforting memory and a digital ghost.
The play will feature an all-female cast composed of Jenny Jamora as Merril, Maronne Cruz as Angie, Mikkie Bradshaw-Volante as Merril’s ex-girlfriend Raquel, and Jackie Lou Blanco as Merril and Angie’s estranged mother Brin.
PhilSTAR L!fe had a chance to speak with the cast as well as director Caisa Borromeo to unpack the play’s timely themes and the emotional weight of bringing this thriller to life.
What’s so exciting about the play?
For Borromeo, Gunderson’s 2023 play captured her interest as she “instantly gets drawn towards stories about sisters, siblings, and family.”
“When I read this one, I loved the characters and I love a good thriller,” she said. “And it's four women who are so flawed and lost and looking for connection. They're so attached to each other and longing to be understood, and we just love watching characters like that because I think we can relate to characters who are looking for answers.”
Jamora highlighted that she said yes to the project as it “sits well in the times.”
“It really has to be done now already because all this technology moves by so fast. But at the same time, it covers very universal issues, so I'm so happy,” she added.
Something that was also very interesting to Bradshaw-Volante was how the play makes it a point to have an all-female cast.
“In my experience, when it's a mostly female cast, it goes very well. But on top of that, I love the aspect of just exploring AI and what that means for us and what connection really looks like now that we have AI in our world,” she said.
An urgent story to tell
With AI now seamlessly woven into everyday life thanks to modern chatbots, the cast of anthropology all agree that the play’s message is urgent now more than ever, and it even questioned their perspective on technology.
As the oldest one out of the cast, Blanco shared that her experience gives her a better balance on how she looks at AI.
“Of course, technology is very important, but I think when you watch this play, you will also realize the dangers if you take it too far. Use it when it's needed, but human connection and relationships are still more important. Dapat aid lang yan, hindi siya ‘yung primary,” she said.
Cruz, meanwhile, stressed that she is very staunch on her position about AI, but admitted that this play “just improved our understanding of how AI is a tool and it's really up to the humans to determine whether or not it's going to be good for us.”
“I think that AI and technology use in general [is] a mirror of how much we value human connection, and I think this play will hopefully give people more insight into that,” she said.
What to expect
For those of you who may not be familiar with anthropology, Bradshaw-Volante said that audiences can expect a story similar to episodes on the British television series Black Mirror, but with a “lot of girl power and showcasing different kinds of women.”
“For something so centered around technology, expect a lot of heart,” she highlighted.
Blanco added, “It's also about how all of us deal with grief and where it takes us. It's about forgiveness. It's about taking ownership of what one has done and what you will do moving forward. It's about love, it's about acceptance, and how you will be able to relate to it.”
All in all, Cruz hopes that the play will enlighten viewers about the importance of having conversations about technology.
“We need to try to really hold on to our humanity, and I feel like these days, it's becoming less and less valuable. This show is really important because it helps us remind ourselves that we are human, and that matters the most,” she said.
Presented by Barefoot Theatre Collaborative, the company behind Bar Boys: The Musical and Mula sa Buwan, anthropology will be staged at the Doreen Black Box Theater, Areté in Quezon City from March 13 to 29.
Tickets are now available through this link. Standard seats cost P2,200 while premium ones are priced at P2,500.
Anthropology's license is managed by Harmonia Holdings, Ltd. under special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Ltd.
