THE FRANKENSTEIN COMPLEX
Valters Sīlis, Kārlis Krūmiņš
Pitch, Contemporary performance, All
Description
The Frankenstein complex is a term used by science fiction writer Isaac Asimov in his robot novels. It is a term he coined for the fear of mechanical men. The fear that an intelligent being we have created could turn against ourselves and endanger human lives. In the show of the same name, these fears are reduced to the question – can the machine endanger its author?
The dramatic structure consists of both dialogues with AI and individual scenes written by AI. It also uses texts written by a playwright that seem to compete with those created by GPT-3, addressing the issue of whether artificial intelligence can replace a playwright. When the playwright (human) dies, a fictional GPT-4 program will be born, which, unlike its predecessor, will be endowed with consciousness.
Artist / Company biography
Valters Sīlis and Kārlis Krūmiņš studied theater directing at the Latvian Academy of Culture. After graduating in 2008, they have continued their collaboration, playing roles in each other’s plays and working together without a defined hierarchical structure. In recent years, they have created several performances in which Kārlis Krūmiņš has also taken on the role of playwright. Andrievs Niedra staged at the Dirty Deal Theater in 2015 and the Meeting Place – Riga City II Theater at the Latvian National Theater in 2018 are works that talk about hundred years old historical events of Latvia and the most controversial people of that time. The two works by Sīlis and Krūmiņš are an attempt to demythologize the era that has been full of contradictions.
Contact info
Anna Sīle, anna.sile@glowy.eu, + 371 29394494
Credits
Director: Valters Sīlis
Playwright: Kārlis Krūmiņš
Artist: Uģis Bērziņš
Producer: Dirty Deal Teatro, The National Kaunas Drama Theatre
Supported by State Culture Capital Foundation
Technical specification
Stage size
https://dirtydealteatro.lv/