by Diana Miranda
A darkly humorous play about influencer tradition within the AI age, Racheal Ofori’s FLIP! is a witty two-hander that follows the journey of pals Carleen and Crystal, well-liked co-vloggers who go above and past for on-line fame. After a couple of hit-and-miss makes an attempt, Carleen begins producing content material with FLIP, a brand new social media platform that utilises superior AI. The enjoyable satire takes a darkish flip, and what follows is an exploration of the lengths folks could go to craft an id interesting to the lots, all for the sake of fame and fortune.
Carleen and Crystal (Leah St Luce and Jadesola Odunjo) get us on board from the outset with their catchy power and unwavering charisma. Their dynamic performances vary from goofy physicality emulating hilarious memes, to heartwarming shows of mutual help of their career-building endeavours. The duo instructions the stage and their enjoyable multi-rolling provides depth to their sorytelling as they embody varied characters, together with on-line trolls, online game avatars, a cheeky radio presenter and FLIP’s haughty agent.
Directed by Emily Aboud, FLIP! provides a fast-paced, kaleidoscopic portrayal of on-line content material. All manufacturing parts neatly comes collectively to unravel the story: KJ’s lighting and Eliyana Evans’ sound design present nice texture, seamlessly transitioning between real-life and digital atmospheres. Anna Robinson’s set, consisting of gray dice lockers piled towards the again wall, serves as a flexible backdrop. Carleen and Crystal continually carry out vibrant props, from bright-pink headphones to a ukulele, as if symbolising the myriad rabbit holes the web can lead us down. Interestingly, the present doesn’t characteristic any type of video design regardless of its give attention to vlogging and social media obsession. The absence of video, nevertheless, is a intelligent transfer that enhances the characters’ vulnerability as they flirt with the digital choices, making their musings all of the extra relatable.
Ofori’s script is recent, that includes enjoyable dialogues that boldly discover the last word that means of arduous work in a society the place recognition reigns as the present foreign money, and social media is the last word enviornment. It cleverly references entertainment-driven content material on varied social media platforms with out alienating those that is perhaps much less aware of present tendencies.
Ultimately, FLIP! is a well timed and sharp dialog concerning the AI implications in social media tradition. The play dissects the idea of fame in a social system that prioritises recognition and leisure over arduous work and activism, and it ventures right into a dystopian realm the place people could change into disposable in favour of their on-line personas. FLIP! brims with power, providing each an
amusing evening out and thought-provoking insights, and difficult us to confront the Pandora’s field opened by our rising engagement with AI instruments.
FLIP! runs by 25 November.
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