io9.com: A lot of science fiction's greatest works deal with the question of immortality: Do we really want to live forever? And would we still be human if we no longer aged or died? A new stage play called The Future, imported from Britain to New York, deals with this question in a very personal way, via the most urbane of settings: the dinner party and its clash of personalities. Over the course of several years, we follow a group of people who are taking Senexate, the new wonder drug that halts aging.
11 comments:
Every time I read a summary of a futuristic dystopian play/book/whatever, I think well, yet another futuristic dystopian story! The truth is though, I find them fascinating and would probably really enjoy this play since it sounds like it was executed very well. It's interesting, inevitable, and sad, that a play about a drug that turns everyone immortal would end up being about the doubts, the negativity and the downfall associated with such an incredible technological advance. But who would believe that our world could handle immortality properly? I find it great that a play would delve so deeply into inherent human flaws while exploring such a fantastical, dream notion; if the arts really are meant to make people think and reflect, then I think this show hit the nail on the head.
I love the idea behind this play. I have always been a Science fiction fan but this is beyond simple sci-fi. It's very much like some of the great sci fi literature from the past couple decades, an exposition of society. BUt from what I read, this does seem to bring up some valid point about our characters. Would we really change our actions regarding the world around us if it effect us rather then our children. Also, I curious about how they would connect the setting of the show too the world around them. The show takes place in an apartment. If thats the case, how do they get the audience to connect with the people outside the walls and understand whats really going on. I find it hard to believe that all the concepts about the decline of society can be express simply through party talk. Then again, having not seen it, I could be completely wrong. That aside, this is one show I would really like to see.
What makes this play interesting is that it's told through a set of seemingly average circumstances. The concept of a world in which everyone lives forever is much more powerful if it's revealed to us through a conversation than it would be if we saw the drug's effects up close and personal. Then it would just be a little hard to believe.
Great concept! Everyone thinks about living forever. At first, it doesn't seem like such a bad idea. But in reality, it probably is. This seems like a smart and intriguing take on those perils - one that audience members would be willing to put their own qualms about death aside for. Because, let's face it, we are all afraid to die. It is completely impossible to imagine oneself not existing. It's terrifying. BUT, a situation like this can be equally as terrifying. As Camille said, this piece would make one think and reflect on exactly what it is they believe and whether that belief i grounded in reality.
I used to not be a fan of science fiction, but when you start thinking about the possibilities outside our four dimensions, it becomes really intriguing. The "what-if" factor can be just a good source of dramatic tension as a cliffhanger in a play. On top of that, the concept of morality is something humans really are right now trying to overcome. Not only is human life span naturally expanding, we are constantly finding ways to overcome death. I think this play will be very popular, and although there are already tv shows and movies surrounding this, seeing it live has a very different realistic feel that makes people think "What if?"
I think this is a very interesting take on sci-fi. Recent sci-fi book, movies, and television shows that have focused on the question of immortality look at the broad and general consequences. "What will happen to the world if this were to come true?" It seems, judging by this article, that this play focuses on the much smaller issues. "How are human relationships altered and strained? What is the personal moral consequences on an individual level?" I am interested to see how the play handles such a subject by only addressing it through the same few people talking about it. I really hope this show moves on, I would love to see it.
I love the immortality debate. It's never not fascinating, and I think the writers and producers of this realized that. I like that the play apparently doesn't spend a lot of time on the "Yay, we can be superheros", but delves into a discussion on the issues facing a realistic world where immortality is somehow an option. This review is really intelligent and thorough. I normally don't care for the writing of reviews, but this one seems to really capture the feel of the show. The last line especially struck with me--it introduced the idea that swallowing that pill, and making the choice to be immortal would almost definitely change who we are, and what defines us. Humans cling so desperately to that, it actually becomes a serious concern in this case.
I have always been obsessed with dystopia, and have done my best to read everything having to do with it from A Clockwork Orange to A Canticle for Lebowitz and everything in between. Dystopia is genius because it points out the absurdity in the way we live, assessing our human condition by introducing an element that drastically changes it. Like this play, the dystopian world has elements of the familiar, with one or more changed elements the consequences of which are significantly more severe and permeating than initially expected. This play seems to have mastered the point of dystopia by taking place in an incredibly familiar environment, but throwing in plenty of unexpected issues. I would have loved to see this show.
This was my favorite thing to read about when I was little, my favorite book was Cyberiad by Stanislov Lem which is about two philosophers who have become robots and just debate with each other until the end of time. Growing up my father always told me mine was going to be the first generation to live forever and looking at society today i believe him. As a fairly sciency person though I think it will come in a different form. The idea of the immortality pill is cool but it does not stop death by disease or being hit by a car. However computers have been getting better at an increasing rate and quantum computing is just recently a reality. That in combination with all the advances in nanotech kind of lead me to believe that immortality comes from being backed up to a computer. Back on track though the major concern of the show seems to be the repercussions of immortality. Everyone is always so worried about our future and how violent and destructive the human race but I think we will be fine. war has been around since before we could make weapons it is not a new thing and there is significantly less of it now, we just know how to do more damage. I don't think there is any country who would sacrifice the earth over any dispute, noone is that stupid. I am also not that worried about our environment. We have made huge leaps of progress in that area in a very small amount of time with mind boggling discoveries every day. Juts a couple months ago some guy figured out how to power an entire house from a little stream in his backyard, and some 14 year old kid made a discovery about the way solar panels work that is theorized to revolutionize the whole field. Imagine what he will be able to do after receiving formal training. The human race is pretty intelligent and we will do anything to survive, and at this point we are to advanced not to.
I would love to see this play! Personally, I don't find immortality itself fascinating, but I'm very interested in people's reactions to immortality. I would never want to live forever. Immortality makes life meaningless. I would have to see the same people every day for the rest of my life. There would be nobody new. I like how the play depicts alcohol as a separate character itself, making objects into humans themselves. The play mostly talks about political, environmental, and religious issues within the play, but I would like to see how the characters react to receiving immortality. Do they realize that immortality would make life meaningless, less beautiful, etc? It makes you wonder, would you want to give up the thrill of life in order prolong it?It also makes the audience look at their own lives and understand that we cannot live forever as of today, so we should definitely make the most of our lives.
I think that immortality in theater, and expressed in the arts, is something that is a seemingly rare gem. We explore so much about sex, relationships, and what we do with our lives, and I think it's intriguing to look past all the details of what is in our lives, and to actually consider what our lives have become/ how long they might be continuing for. Young people often times consider life in the moment- and living in the moment seems so consuming that the debate and questioning of mortality is a puzzle that has gone by the wayside. The fact that this production is in turn a dinner party makes such a great statement, because like dinner parties, we might be familiar with fellow attendants, but still know nothing about them, similar to how foreign death seems to us. It's an interesting representation and playing field to therefor express a number of ideas.
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