'Impress our future robot overlords'

Technology might prove to be the downfall of all mankind, but here are ten Edinburgh Fringe shows featuring AI and other robots to keep you laughing as it does...

1. Colleen Lavin: Do the Robots Think I'm Funny? 

Colleen Lavin is a ‘professional hardware geek’ who has worked at Nasa… although like many in the field she professes to be ‘freaked out by AI’. She’s also insecure– so she’s built a robot to determine if she is funny. Trained at Chicago’s Second City and iO theatres, her Fringe debut is described as ‘a sharp gossip-filled show about heroism, insecurity, and the ever-present fear of being replaced by a robot’. ‘Come to laugh,’ she says. ‘Stay to impress future robot overlords.’

Greenside @ Riddles Court, times vary

2. Artificial Intelligence Improvisation 

Piotr Mirowski is a research scientist working on Google’s DeepMind project… as well as being  co-founder Improbotics, the world's first AI-enabled improv company.  The innovative show features human actors and bots acting on audience suggestions, while for its finale improvisers controlled by chatbots try to pass the Turing Test and convince the audience they are human.

We saw them at the Brighton Fringe, and the experiment could not really be considered a success (review) as the tech generally generated hard-to-work-with non-sequiturs. But who knows, the first aircraft were shit too…

Gilded Balloon Teviot, 18:00

3. Foxdog Studios: Robo Bingo 

Lloyd Henning and Pete Sutton are genuine ITV consultants who have a long history of experimenting with interactive technology, and surreal humour. This year they have reinvented bingo, with players invited to use their phones to control the outcome via a robotic ball picker or by voting to ban someone from winning. 

Underbelly, Cowgate, 20:25

4: Micky Overman: The Precipice 

Probably a bit of a stretch, but the British-based Dutch comic does promies to talk about robots – as well as love and  possibly, motherhood – in her latest stand-up show.

Monkey Barrel Comedy at The Hive, 18:10

5. AI Jesus

Peter Bazely says that after a decade of writing jokes, hess out of ideas, so he is turning to artificial intelligence help write him a relatable stand-up comedy show, so here plays   support act to an entirely computer-generated comedian called AI Jesus. In a world where artists are worried  that AI could end up doing their jobs for them, Bazely is said to be praying this one will do exactly that.

Laughing Horse @ The Three Sisters,  17:00

6.  Palatable Gay Robot 

American comedian Stephen Brower – pictured above - ‘recalibrates his queerness for optimal effect’, turning to the algorithms to help him perfect the prototype of the most acceptable sort of gay man. The show is described as an ‘edgy amalgamation of stand-up and theatre [that] takes the technological world by storm’. 

Greenside @ Infirmary Street, 19:50 from August 14

7. Courtney Pauroso: Vanessa 5000 

Following a successful Fringe run of her debut show Gutterplum  before the pandemic, Los Angeles-based clown Courtney  Pauroso returns as the titular sex robot Vanessa5000, who grows increasingly conflicted about her very existence.  The blurb for the show says ‘Artificially intelligent. Genuinely stupid. ChatGPT ain't got nothing on Vanessa5000's sweet synthetic ass.’

Pauroso previously studied  sketch and improv at the prestigious Groundlings school in LA, which also boasts Will Ferrell, Kristin Wiig & Melissa McCarthy as ex-students, and this show is being presented by champions of the artistic weirdos, Stamptown.

Pleasance Courtyard, 9pm

8 Abandoman: Future Fest 

It’s nor clear exactly what innovations Rob Broderick is planning to deploy in this improvised musical comedy show, in which he  will create a cutting-edge, three-day music festival in just 60 minutes with the aid of audience suggestions. But he promises to ‘ingeniously blend technology and improvisation’ for this  futuristic musical journey 

Underbelly, George Square, 21:35

9. Stand-Up Science

So there’s no guarantee bots and AI will feature in this rotating line-up of scientifically minded comedians talking all things nerdy, but you’d be surprised if it didn’t on at least some of the days.. Hosted by Bristol-based Matt Hobs - who also has both a biochemistry doctorate and a solo show, Moontalker, about the Moon landings at 32 Below – this daily showcase vows to ‘make you laugh and learn’.  

Laughing Horse @ The Pear Tree,  18:45

10 Tom Ballard: It Is I 

Humanity hooking its future to AI is just one of many strands covered in this powerhouse Australian comic’s show – and yes, that does included a gag written by ChatGPT.  The lively show – which garnered a four-and-a-half-star Chortle review at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival earlier this year – also focuses on elderly care, the Monarchy, and his own ego, 

Monkey Barrel Comedy, 18:10

Published: 15 Jul 2023