Marjorie Prime Predicted the Rise of the AI Companion

Anne Kauffman, who helmed the 2015 off-Broadway production, directs with a steady hand and a keen sense of light and sound. Sharp blackouts barely give us time to catch our breath before we contemplate Walter’s face illuminated in a spotlight like a digital saint (Ben Stanton’s lighting is more manipulative than any AI algorithm). Daniel Kluger’s original string music is an echo from Majorie’s past (she was a violinist) that becomes increasingly adulterated with electronic distortion. These elegant design choices undergird emotionally raw performances.