A DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE TITLE

anthropology

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  4w

Lauren Gunderson

Wracked with grief, coder Merril creates an A.I. chatbot that can perfectly recreate her deceased sister Angie. But what happens when Angie has to meet other people?

anthropology

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w
  • Duration
    Duration
    90 minutes
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
anthropology

Details

Summary

Merril has been spending more time with her sister, Angie, but she isn't ready for anyone to know about it. At least, not until Merril has decided that Angie is ready to see other people – but it is going to take a little more finessing, and definitely less fighting. After Angie, without permission, arranges for Merril’s ex Raquel to come over, the truth comes out: Angie is an A.I. creation that Merril has developed to cope with her sister's death. But as the virtual Angie begins to demand more presence in Merril and her mother’s lives, reality and consciousness blur, and new moral questions arise about the right, safe, and acceptable ways to grieve.

History

anthropology received its world premiere off the West End at Hampstead Theatre, London, on 7 September 2023.

Keywords
Performing Groups

MERRIL – older sister, brainy coder and AI expert, driven, nothing in her life is tidy except her immaculate home office, battling tremendous grief and channeling it into tech. Queer, brilliant, hopeful.
ANGIE – younger sister , cheeky , brash, always a handful, sometimes a disaster , but people forgive her because when she is fun she is the most fun. Sunshine until she storms.
RAQUEL – Merril’s ex, confident, clear-headed, heart-driven. She is a crafter, a home cook, a good kisser , a bit of a worrier but all from an abundance of love.
BRIN – Merril and Angie’s estranged mom, recovering addict, penitent but still awash in confused grief, broken confidence, and neediness. Never been a good mom to her girls, but now realizing how much she has lost in losing them. Clingy and desperate to reconnect.

  • Time Period Present Day
  • Setting

    Northern California. Now.

  • Features Contemporary Costumes/Street Clothes
  • Additional Features No Intermission
  • Duration 90 minutes

Media

“A highly original, beautifully written piece.” – Daily Mail (UK)

“Up-to-the-minute, grappling with AI and its philosophical implications in a thoroughly engaging way…[It] engages with our tech-mediated lives and with speculative futures in a way theatre rarely does.” – The Standard (UK)

“Gunderson prods and pokes around at the ethical implications but deliciously never settles for an answer. Instead she throws down the gauntlet whilst weaving together a cerebral thriller where each twist and turn tugs on the heart strings.” – Broadway World UK

“Fizzingly intelligent.” – The Times (UK)

Videos

  • anthropology – Lauren Gunderson Introduction youtube thumbnail

    anthropology – Lauren Gunderson Introduction

  • anthropology – Rogue Machine Theatre Trailer youtube thumbnail

    anthropology – Rogue Machine Theatre Trailer

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Lauren Gunderson

Lauren Gunderson

Lauren Gunderson is one of the most produced playwrights in America since 2015, topping the list thrice, including 2022/23. She is a two-time winner of the Steinberg/ATCA New Play Award for I and You and The Book of Will, the William Inge Distinguished Achievement in Theater ...

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