Created by 404 Theatre
Review by Hunter King
Top Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate
It seems every Fringe one or two shows will pop up with the gimmick of only having one audience member per performance. This Fringe is no different, with 404 Theatre’s production DeepFake at Underbelly Cowgate. Presented as an interactive thought experiment on the use of AI, DeepFake puts you in the role of Alex, and makes you confront the difficult task of deciding whether or not a new AI model is worth using at your company, Mirrorminds.
Admittedly, the show is difficult to write about in the sense that most descriptions of the show also would inherently spoil it. With this in mind, walking into this show without knowing what to expect was absolutely the best way to experience it. Through a series of questions and conversations the show is able to formulate around the audience member playing the role of Alex, and their thoughts and experiences. The result is a show that is in some ways violating, while in others incredibly prescient and eye opening to an issue that is present in modern society and beginning to snowball into an issue that could have distinctly harmful implications.
404 Theatre does a good job of allowing their Alex to be subjective in their own way, and finding a way to make their message clear even with that in mind. The biggest thing that must be called into question is the morality of using AI in any capacity, and while admittedly DeepFake does so in the best way one could possibly imagine, proving a point and in a way that could not be replicated by human artists, it is still used which becomes a bit of a catch-22.
With all of this in mind, it is worth noting that DeepFake is being advertised as a horror play, which notoriously is a genre that finds difficulty in being critically acclaimed, especially in a live format. DeepFake well and truly earns this title and is guaranteed to make people think, squirm, and feel a genuine uncomfortability that is hard to see, especially in a place where there’s nothing off limits, such as the Fringe.
Deserves Acclaim
DeepFake runs Venue 61, Top Belly at Underbelly, Cowgate
at various times
Running time – Sixty minutes
Photo credit – Amanda Gostomski
Review by Hunter King (contact@corrblimey.uk)
Hunter is a 2024 Master’s graduate of the University of Edinburgh and current doctoral candidate with a thesis focused on experimental theatre in Edinburgh. He has been a theatre practitioner for over a decade having worked in many capacities including as a director, actor, stage manager, front of house manager, and technician as well as others. Prior to moving to Edinburgh, Hunter was a high school English teacher in the United States. His passion for the written word as well as his passion for live performance are what motivated him to become a writer for this publication.
