Review: Second Coming at La Boite Theatre

Review by Grace Swadling

The rise of AI and corruption of Earth’s humanity is increasingly becoming less and less like a distant, dystopian future and more closer to our own backyard than we would probably care to admit. Audiences are no strangers to these concepts; ‘Wall-E’, ‘Blade Runner’, ‘The Matrix’ (to name a few) all depict the ultimate bleak future. At the heart of dystopia however is the core element of hope; hope that humanity will survive, that empathy and compassion will win out in the face of machines and above all the hope that we can learn from our mistakes.

‘Second Coming’, commissioned for the stage by Playlab Theatre and co-presented with La Boite Theatre, provides an intimate setting for these concepts to play out for an audience staring down the barrel of increasingly unsettling AI developments and the ever-threatening presence of capitalism. Playwright Kathryn Marquet weaves satire and humour with the despair of a world riddled with technology and the consequences of our actions, which is particularly poignant in a time when we can no longer even believe what we see. 

Directed by Ian Lawson, ‘Second Coming’ imagines Earth in 2065, where humanity’s last hope lies in an ambitious mission to save its remaining species and transport them to Mars, or the Second Eden. GENESIS, the corporate conglomerate behind the mission, blends religion with corporate think-speak and its commander Zane has cast himself as the second coming of Noah, saving the world two by two. When geneticist Evie uncovers a shocking truth about the mission, the crew are forced to question everything they thought they knew.

The production was a slick, well-oiled machine with incredible set design by Bill Haycock. The multi-level set, live video feeds, and digital screens were seamlessly incorporated to elevate the visual storytelling, especially when combined with Haycock’s simple yet powerful costume design. Wil Hughes’ sound design worked in perfect tandem with Geoff Squire’s lighting, bringing the futuristic setting and 2065 technologies to life in an utterly believable way.

The cast worked well together, each playing distinctive and engaging characters. Ashlee Lollback drove the production as Evie Messina, whose distrust of the ship’s AI system AIDA,  and her employer’s true intentions, as well as her own personal crises, force her to reflect on her future and role in this dark new world. Anthony Standish was well-cast as the bumbling comic relief in the form of Evie’s long-suffering spouse Alan, along for the ride, willing to be there for his wife no matter the moral cost.

Merlynn Tong had a strong stage presence as the over-bearing and domineering Captain Zara, loyal to GENESIS and Zane’s doctrine. Gideon Mzembe rounded out the crew as the buff horticulturalist Noah Kendrick, played with a sweetness and sincerity needed to pull off one of the pivotal, and truly silly, scenes of the show, where he appeals to AIDA’s “human” nature. Appearing via a giant digital screen to demand compliance and unwavering loyalty to the mission, GENESIS’ overlord Zane was played wonderfully in a cameo role by Darren Gilshenan, providing a series of progressively erratic video calls.

The production's momentum occasionally lost its footing, though the narrative rhythm generally found its groove and the cast were able to deftly balance humour with the more serious themes explored throughout the production.The addition of an interval also could have been utilised to aid in setting up the repetitive nature of life aboard the ship and Evie’s growing unease that things are not all what they appear to be.

AI and big corporations are an obvious choice for villains at the heart of any dystopian story; however, ‘Second Coming’ effectively uses these villains to confront a world where massive corporations hold the reins, demanding a moral reckoning before profit completely eclipses human value. Indeed, even the noble scientists and engineers of the ARK II are not safe from the exploitative nature of capitalism - their funding depends on their live streams, the selling out of their souls and uncomfortably forced Tik Tok-esque dance moves. It’s a warped version of society, but one that feels sadly grounded in reality, even for a modern-day audience. It makes the dramatic twist even harsher, when Evie and the audience realise simultaneously that leaving Earth won't save us from ourselves - Mars only holds up a mirror to the mistakes we refuse to fix. 

Humanity versus machines is an age-old tale; dystopian theatre has been providing an avenue for our society to question the rise of technology and the decline of that which makes us most human for years. ‘Second Coming’ is perfectly timed in bringing together all these elements to present a compelling and well-executed production that uses dark humor to unpack the stark realities of a dystopian future…and how humanity just may be able to avoid it all.

Image Credit: Stephen Henry