Review: Head Trick Theatre's 'R.U.R.' Resonates as AI Rises

"R.U.R.," which stands for Rossum's Universal Robots, is a chilling and satirical examination of the prospect of machines taking the place of mankind. In viewing Head Trick Theatre's adaptation of Karel Capek's play, written in 1920, the allusions to artificial intelligence were plainly obvious.

The setting is a remote island, where robots are manufactured in a large factory. Brayden Fanti plays a fast-talking charmer named Harry Domin, the managing director of R.U.R. He informs Helena (Elisabet Ober) about the production of robots which are designed to resemble humans.

Helena is introduced to Sulla (Luyuan Nathan) and Marius (Daniel O'Donnell), Domin's employees. At first glance, they appear to be perfectly normal.

Domin reveals only robots work at R.U.R. Domin notes they are more convenient and quicker than humans, which is why thousands of them are being shipped all over the world.

"Robots are not people," Domin says. "They don't have a soul."

Helena is appalled and forms an organization called The League of Humanity. Her goal is to set the robots free and treat them like humans. Eventually, there is a robot "revolution," a development which threatens the existence of every human on the Earth. It seems the robots, outfitted in red jumpsuits, have become self-aware and hope to dominate their masters.

R.U.R.'s senior staff, including strong-willed Fabry (Michael Pugliese), the technical director, and eccentric Dr. Hallemeier (Stuart Wilson), the head of robot psychology and behavior, become increasingly worried about their own safety. They realize their creations have run amok.

Jeffrey Ouellette plays Alquist, the head of construction at R.U.R. Ouellette delivers a haunting and poetic monologue towards the end of the show. He is a conduit for the audience and a voice of hope when all hope has seemingly been extinguished.

Capek's ideas have been imitated in countless science fiction movies and television shows, including "The Terminator," "Alien," and "Star Trek." In all of those, artificial life forms resemble humans and display superior intelligence.

This show benefits from the sharp performances of the entire ensemble and solid direction by Blanche Case and her co-director, Nathan. Fanti and Ober are engaging and passionate as they debate the merits of men versus machines.

Daniel Holmes, a regular at Arctic Playhouse, provides much-needed humor as Busman, R.U.R.'s commercial director obsessed with profits. Holmes expertly parodies a greedy corporate executive as he adds up numbers.

Frederick P. Dodge ("And Then There Were None") is compelling as Dr. Gall, the scientist who designed the robots and soon regrets the choices he has made. Christopher Ferreira ("Incident at Vichy") is superb as the defiant and vengeful robot Radius.

Gabriella Rose's costumes showcased the characters well (I loved the red jumpsuits). Terry Shea's sound design helped create an ominous and threatening atmosphere.

"R.U.R." resonates because of its real-world parallels. Technology has become more and more dominant in our everyday lives; people are being replaced; supermarkets and some restaurants are using robots now. What was once fantasy is now reality, and it's terrifying.

"R.U.R." runs through July 28. Head Trick Theatre. Running time is 2 hours, 20 minutes. Performances at AS220, 95 Empire St., Providence, RI. For tickets, visit headtricktheatre.org.