Just how far can artificial intelligence take us? Can it deliver genuine companionship and more for the lonely, elderly and ailing? Those questions are answered in the resounding affirmative by playwright Jose Rivera in his dramatic and comedic work Your Name Means Dream. Aislin (Caroline Lee), of Polish Irish extraction (and whose name means dream in Irish), lives in a rundown apartment in Manhattan. Soon to turn 65, she isn’t in the best of health. She drinks, takes pills and has questionable food choices.
An acerbic widow, surprisingly she used to be a human resources head. Still mourning the death of her husband, she has a prickly relationship with her son Roberto (who we don’t meet), to whom she signed over the power of attorney. Roberto recognised that his mother needed someone to look after her, but five carers quit on her in the past year. So it is that he taps into a pilot program to provide her with a humanoid robot named Stacy (Lucy Ansell), who for the most part looks and feels real.
While at first Aislin is cynical and derogatory, she becomes increasingly dependent upon Stacy, who is good looking, smart and intuitive. Mind you, it doesn’t take much to wind up Aislin and she still frequently lashes out at Stacy. For her part, Stacy is tied specifically to Aislin and when Aislin passes away, Stacy will be decommissioned and her parts used elsewhere. That is, of course, if Aislin doesn’t decide to rid herself of Stacy in the meantime. And there is also the fear that Stacy could be hacked by a radical vigilante group.
Rivera, who received an Oscar nomination for his screenplay The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) examines the decreasing divide between man and machine. In that regard it is an eye-opener. I was reminded of Elon Musk’s unveiling of the bot Optimus, with its remarkable conversational interactions, only last month. Your Name Means Dream is a potent combination of venom, yearning and heartache. But there is also a good swathe of humour in the work. Stacy is an automaton who genuinely appears to care.
The performances are mighty potent and the strong chemistry between Caroline Lee and Lucy Ansell is apparent from the get go. In a fine turn, Lee brings a surly disposition and real attitude to Aislin, with a great deal of vitriol pouring out of her. Ansell’s ability to “inhabit” the robot and exude “her” full range of skills, including a litany of accents, is extremely impressive. During the course of proceedings, she also voices Roberto and historic figures.
There is a great deal of verbiage for both players to get their heads around and they deliver in spades. Also noteworthy is the creation of the dilapidated home in which the action takes place, with paint peeling from the walls. The set and costume designer is Hanhie Goldfinch. Director Kat Henry ensures that Your Name Means Dream moves along at pace. One hundred minutes plus internal, it is energetic, entertaining and thought provoking. It is on at Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre until 24th November, 2024.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Wittenoom (Red Stitch Theatre) – theatre review
- June (Theatre Works) – theatre review
- Colder (Red Stitch) – theatre review
Alex First is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.
