Finally, ChatGPT is being used for good! Graduating from turning out verbose, repetitive, and adjective heavy LinkedIn prose, the AI software has now made its Fringe debut as a scriptwriter and lyricist.
Coded Comedy sees a troupe of four musical theatre aficionados, improvise their way through a vague script developed by ChatGPT based on prompts thrown at it from the audience. Facilitating the process as ringmaster/prompt writer/occasional fifth cast member is Amy Fortnum who gives us the run-down of how this will *hopefully* work (AI can be surprisingly resistant sometimes- no mentions of dildos allowed apparently). Alongside her is Jackson Griggs who provides musical accompaniment throughout the show on the keys.
Cast from left to right. Phillip Whyte, Maree Cole, Tadhg Lawrence and Matt Arnold. Photography MikeRichardsWA.
The concept immediately has the audience onboard as the AI generates unintentionally hilarious character descriptions. One by one the performers assume their characters, which involves the others decorating and dressing them in appropriately bad wigs, glasses and hats.
We then get our opening number led by Amy who sings the words ChatGPT produces for her like it’s a song she’s had in her repertoire for years, with Jackson providing the perfect soundtrack. What’s the name of tonight’s show you ask? That, I can’t tell you, but it was something related to a highly sought after dummy, in a cash driven society set in the year 3000 and in nowhere else but, of course, Bunbury. I will admit, the AI did a much better job than me at making this sound like a comprehensive and even viable story.
Despite its guidance and character outlines, the performers did what improv performers do best and that is make shit up as they go along. As they all forgot the names and objectives of their characters it only made the content funnier, and I quietly enjoyed their rebellion against the AI’s scripting. However, I will admit when we did get more of the AI’s involvement I was impressed by its lyricism and maybe even craved a little more of it in the show.
Amy Fortnum. Photograby by MikeRichardsWA.
Of course, no great musical is without a sing-along at the end of the show, and we didn’t need a ChatGPT prompt for this one. The mega church-like singing and arm swaying was all human generated.
Coded Comedy is a great concept which could only be made successful by a cast like this. Sure, AI can write a song in 0.2 seconds, but does it have the creative vision to adorn a polyester blue wig and riff? I don’t think so…
Coded Comedy has one show left at Fringe, on Feb 11, but maybe we can ask ChatGPT to write us a persuasive letter asking for the show to be brought back again.