Big Data: A Theatrical Exploration of Modern Surveillance

In a world where theater struggles to draw new audiences, playwright Kate Attwell's latest creation, Big Data, makes a bold entrance with a unique take on live performances. Premiering in San Francisco, this work commissioned by the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) embarks on a mission to captivate audiences with a narrative intertwined with the themes of human choice and surveillance capitalism.

The Medium Becomes the Message

Attwell's play is more than just a theatrical production; it's a commentary on our times, tackling how corporations and governments use our data to influence our decisions. By engaging the audience directly, it raises questions about our autonomy in the face of omnipresent digital observation. Big Data's storytelling involves the audience from the start, even giving them a role in the play's initiation.

The story follows M, a morally ambiguous scientist played by BD Wong, as he exercises a manipulative influence over the lives of various characters. The staging itself is a technological marvel, featuring transforming sets and a narrative delivery that mimics the devices and platforms central to our digital lives. This method of storytelling aims to bring the message closer to the audience, making the theme of data surveillance something they can feel a part of.

A Stage Transformed

With a naturalistic set design, the play transports audiences into a world that alternates between the abstract and the familiar. The presence of the pivotal character M, likened to Mephistopheles, lingers throughout the acts, shifting the ambiance from a digital dystopia to an intimate family setting. In the hands of director Pam MacKinnon, these transitions become thought-provoking visual metaphors for the influence of our data-driven society.

As the play progresses, audiences are left to ponder their positions within the narrative. Are we the ones being manipulated like the pigeons in the scientist's experiments? The play concludes with a powerful moment that challenges viewers to reconsider the control they exert over their own lives in a world saturated with algorithms.

theatre, surveillance, technology