As you walk into the Epoch cafe—the lights dim in the shadow of the WA Museum Boola Bardip—you are met with a cold blue light in a birdcage. A friendly, smiling man greets you and introduces himself as Jacob Watton; seasoned performer and choreographer, and the mind behind the machine.

‘Alexa, Turn on the Lights’ has been described as part-TED talk and part-couples therapy, and the show immediately establishes an intimate and conversational tone to match, with Watton describing the cafe-turned-showspace as his own living room and chatting with members of the audience as they find their seats. From the pre-show banter to the Acknowledgement of Country, Watton seamlessly transitions into his own stream of consciousness as he recounts his family history and tenuous relationship with technology. Audience interaction is at the heart of the show, as volunteers were brought up onto the “stage” to chat with Alexa; asking questions and playing games that highlight the ways in which A..I. can imitate social interaction.

Centering a show around audience interaction however can be risky, and whilst some volunteers were strongly engaged in their questions and interactions with Watton and Alexa, others appeared to be uncomfortable in the spotlight. Alexa’s own interactions slowed down the pacing of the show, with long pauses and repeated questions that grinded the conversational flow to a halt. Watton acknowledges that this show is experimental, so these issues may vary from show-to-show.

While the show raises important points around A.I.—particularly around targeted advertising, corporate data mining and loneliness—it sometimes feels stuck in 2020, when lockdowns were regular, isolation was inevitable and Alexa was the only friendly voice in the room. But as Watton himself admits, A.I. has already taken over the world, and in 2023 when ChatGPT is being banned in schools and DALL-E can plagiarise the work of artists living and dead, how far should technology and personal connection truly intersect?

Overall, ‘Alexa, Turn on the Lights’ is intimate, cerebral and deeply personal. So if you’re feeling lonely in the CBD this FRINGE WORLD season, then Alexa is here to listen.