The VERY Artificial Intelligence Guide to Parenting, presented by BooFord Productions, dished out a slice of life of a troubled couple exploring the use of AI to help them navigate through their struggles to raise three kids and keep their relationship alive and fresh while dealing with a variety of mental health issues.
People often say, “fake it until you make it”. In this fun improvised show, with the control taken out of the hands of the performers, they were forced to fake it and incredibly, they made it.
This show immerses the audience from the moment they enter the venue, with Not-alcoholic drinks being served at the door, welcoming the audience into their role as party guests…It’s Arti’s birthday party. He makes an entrance and entertains the guests with his unique personality, but is interrupted by his wife Sue, who bevvies him with a multitude of criticisms.
“Everything’s artificial in this house,” she complains to Arti, who enjoys “Not Meat”, “Not Cheese”, and “Not Drinks'', and even speaks with a “Ja-fake-an” accent. Ironically, the P.I.2.0, a shambolic robot Sue gives Arti for his birthday, is actually NOT fake, but is a character played live by real AI.
Will it help or hinder? Who can say? The P.I.2.0 seems to play different roles at different moments and has a changing relationship with the two other characters, which keeps the performance intriguing. The Robot can completely alter the dynamic of the show and drives the improvisation towards a different ending each night.
The VERY Artificial Intelligence Guide to Parenting was inspired by the family lives of the two actors/directors. Lisa Boothey and Ben Cosford, each with a 3-child family, have both had technology imposed upon them in their role as parents. The show is also influenced by the actors’ professional involvement in the mental health support sector, with mental health themes woven throughout the show.
The recurring mental health theme adds another layer of depth and a hint of darkness to the show, with a range of conditions being discussed or represented, including anxiety, autism, and ADHD. Arti’s behaviour often displays elements of escapism, and he is sometimes reduced to a state of withdrawal by the aggressive tirades from his anxious and almost neurotic wife. The Robot’s input into the conversation is most interesting at these times, as it responds to situations in which AI doesn’t normally get involved. The imperturbably calm and reasonable robot sometimes does a great job of de-escalating the situation and helping Sue understand Arti’s behaviour. Amusingly, in one scene wherein Sue called Arti “useless”, The Robot defended Arti with the classic line, “everyone is useful, but differently talented”. The Robot’s generic, light-hearted but at times insightful answers did a great job of destigmatizing the mental health issues prevalent in this family and in our community in general.
The show is dressed to the hilt with beautifully eccentric details, including cute little jokes and puns, both subtle and overt. The characters are highly relatable, and most people will be familiar with the struggles they face, so you do not need to be a parent to enjoy the show.
Parenting can feel like an endless experiment, and this is even more true when AI and mental health issues are thrown in the mix. This production is a daring experiment that you can see again and again, with a new experience every time.