Ayanna Fowler, Rebecca Husk, Ixchel, and Aron Spellane. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.
The End of Days is some 100 years past and the world is now populated by robots. All humans have tragically died despite their best efforts not to become extinct. Or have they? This is the basic premise for “Human Museum” by Miyoko Conley and directed by Randy Baker. Audiences are at once immersed in a museum of people-centric oddities. There is a distinctive retro vibe at play here as the movie posters, VHS tapes, and relics (even by today’s standards) like projectors seem to constitute the bulk of what’s on display.
This play is one worth seeing. The premise will make you think. The director’s deft touch will make you wonder, and the actors’ stellar performances just might make you reconsider your stance on robots…
Run by a robot known only as “The Director” (played to no-nonsense perfection by Ixchel), The Human Museum is preparing to open its most ambitious exhibit to date: “End of Days.” Inspired by no shortage of apocalyptic movies produced during the human era, this exhibit is designed to demonstrate both the desperation of humankind’s last moments on earth, as well as the resilient spirit of hope that somehow still persisted.
Beyond the behind-the-scenes preparations for this big reveal, the play centers on the robots’ collective and individual crisis of conscience. Is this exhibit the right thing to do? Are they somehow betraying humanity, and what of their own burgeoning “humanity?” The robots are constantly evolving, inching closer and closer to what we might deem sentient beings. There is 65 (a spot-on portrayal of a robot on the verge of an emotional breakthrough by Aron Spellane), the keeper of the data, agonizingly grappling with what might happen to them if there was no more data to organize. 237 (a delightful and bubbly Rebecca Husk) just wants to find that, dare we say, “human connection.” New to the group, Delivery Bot (Ayanna Fowler who masterfully negotiates every scene she’s in) is simply trying to figure out what their true path in life might be. Then there is The Director who is haunted by memories of their relationship with their creator, The Scientist (Jennifer Knight, a true bastion of humanness), a.k.a. the last known person to have lived on earth. Rounding out the cast is Avery (a perfectly enigmatic Bri Houtman). Are they an actual human? Does a non-robot still exist?
In this age of ever-growing fears surrounding the warp speed growth of AI, Conley’s play does something that seems rather anomalous. She suggests that perhaps robots aren’t all bad. Maybe they’re not to be feared and, perhaps, they are even empathetic to the human cause and thus, in many ways, our champions and consequent preservers of our memories. It is a truly intriguing perspective and one that plays well within the context of this narrative.
The venue—the bottom floor of an old retail store—is quite fitting for this particular production. The way in which Rorschach lays out the space can be a little problematic at times, purely from a viewing perspective though, admittedly, it does make sense as “museum.” The stage, which in this case is meant to represent the museum proper and its various displays, spans a fairly long distance. Depending on which side you’re sitting on, it can be difficult to see what is going on at the other end. Nevertheless, the actors robustly work the entire expanse of the stage for the duration of this play. Gavin Mosier’s intricate, neo-retro, and incredibly funky set design is certain to keep your eyes busy.
The effects really are paramount to the success of this production. Ian Vespermann’s sound design, Hailey LaRoe’s lighting, Kylos Brannon’s video design, Rooster Skylar Sultan’s props, and Ashlynne Ludwig’s costumes manage to somehow amazingly meld futuristic with 80s/90s vintage. It’s impressive to say the least.
This play is one worth seeing. The premise will make you think. The director’s deft touch will make you wonder, and the actors’ stellar performances just might make you reconsider your stance on robots—friend or foe?
Running time: One hour and 35 minutes with no intermission.
“Human Museum” runs through May 5, 2024, presented by Rorschach Theatre, 1020 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036. For more information and to purchase tickets, go online.
