Most of us have an idea of what Artificial Intelligence is, whether it’s through sci-fi adventures or the current leaps forward in learning algorithms, we’re all getting used to what AI can do. But Back to Back Theatre’s The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes, directed by Bruce Gladwin, asks very pertinent and poignant questions about AI’s future and our role in it. From its powerhouse performances to its thought-provoking plot, The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes is an imperative work for us to witness.

When the play begins, the audience is told via the surtitles that we’re at a town hall meeting in Geelong, Australia. The three people hosting the meeting, Scott, Sarah, and Simon, all are perceived to have intellectual disabilities. They speak openly about their lived experiences with these disabilities, as well as the atrocities which have been committed in other places in the past. The central question then becomes this: “If AI gets smarter than the average human, are we going to be treated by the AI like how we currently treat people with intellectual disabilities?” The members of the committee running the meeting feel that it is their duty to help prepare the rest of us for what that life might be like, and I’m sure they’ve barely scratched the surface of what it’s truly like.

The use of the surtitles throughout the play was cleverly done. I enjoy that they were referenced by the characters in the play; Sarah says that she finds it offensive to be automatically subtitled without even giving us a chance to understand them on our own. However, these surtitles were essentially a character in and of themselves. Adding a bit of comedy, they autocorrect themselves, sometimes misinterpreting or mistyping a certain word (especially swear words like real autocorrect) and then correcting itself much to the delight of the audience. What later startles the audience is that the AI begins to chime-in to the conversation unbidden. We’ve heard Siri speak to Scott when he’s on his phone, but all of a sudden she just starts adding in her opinion to the conversation. Sarah is the ONLY one of the group who finds this eerie and frightening, fighting back against the omniscient voice. As the only female on stage, it’s marvellous that she’s the one with the power, the one who speaks up against the potential rising power that is AI.

The black-box set allows the three performances to shine at centre stage, and they absolutely dazzle. As I mentioned previously, Sarah Mainwaring is the fierce female force in this play. Her tenacity and compassion come through in every moment of her performance. Scott Price certainly acts as the comic relief in this trio, cracking jokes at all the perfect moments. I love how he shows his tenderness at the end of the show, when throughout he’s been a tough and strong-willed character. Simon Laherty often takes centre stage, proclaiming himself mayor and believing that he has the best public speaking skills. His charm and savvy certainly come though, but also his compassion for his friends.

I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this production, but coming out of the show I was full to the brim with ideas, new information, and a new perspective on the world. This is the type of theatre I adore seeing; the kind that keeps my partner and I talking the whole way home, the kind that opens my mind and heart to new experiences, the kind that’ll stay with me long after the house lights go up. I think everyone needs to check out The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes before it closes on January 28th. For more information and tickets, visit: https://www.canadianstage.com/shows-events/season/shadow-whose-prey

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Cover Photo: Scott Price, Sarah Mainwaring and Simon Laherty. Photo by Kira Kynd

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