Reviewed by:
Glam Adelaide
Review by Georgina Smerd |
04 March 2023
Our relationship with technology is cleverly analysed within this metaphor-focused theatrical performance through comparison with a human relationship, leaving the audience to question their relationship with technology.
The show opens with an early morning for two unnamed performers as they wake up together in bed, one sounding the alarm to rise as the other begs for more time, before a squabble eventually breaks out. This sets the standard for the relationship dynamic throughout the show. In the one day that plays out in front of the audience, they witness a relationship that is filled one moment with infatuating, obsessive, and all-consuming love, and the next with detest, hatred and resentment. At times the two partners seem cohesive together, and even complementary to each other, but at other times, they seem simply incompatible.
The audience can relate to the performer’s desire to sleep in longer, as well as the elements of healthy living she tries to instil in her life, like meditation, waking up early to make the most of the day, prepping overnight oats, and drinking plenty of lemon-infused water. But, is her perky partner, who is full of reminders about all of these things, helping or hindering?
On display are characteristics that in a real-life relationship would probably be critiqued by friends and family members as being too codependent and possibly unhealthy. But as almost every adult in the world is in this relationship with technology, these negatives are instead excused, and the co-dependency is even encouraged in a capitalist structured society.
The positive elements of the relationship are shown, such as quick communication and every-day convenience, but so are the overwhelming negatives like generating anxiety, stress, depression, FOMO (Fear of Missing Out), guilt, and enabling unhelpful procrastination (just as the show’s name Maybe Later implies).
The script provides plenty of humour with witty remarks consistent between the performers. It also contains emotionally-charged lines that hit hard, such as “don’t diminish me”, which prompts the audience to consider the true effects these relationships have.
One critique is that the show does run a tad too long, and a slightly shorter script may prove to be more effective in creating a meaningful and lasting impression on its audience. The interactions between the actors do also at times feel a bit stiff and rehearsed, but with more performances under their belt and the growth of confidence that comes with this, the actors will become more natural on stage and the dialogue will surely flow more naturally.
Maybe Later’s clever script and direction investigates society’s dependence on technology through the lens of a human relationship, one filled with love, but also hate-filled interactions, stimulating audience reflection about their own relationship with the technology in their life.