Intervu My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend

“My Mum’s Dead AI Boyfriend” Poster

I sat down with Sali Adams to talk to them about their show: My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend 

“I’ve never written a play before, but whilst writing a Philosophy essay one time I became completely possessed by the image of a person in a car with an urn and a chatbot, trying to work out if they collectively qualified as the ‘two or more people’ needed to join a car share lane.” 

My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend is Sali’s first play, a slight deviation from their comic background, and an exciting experiment at that which deals with a wide range of topics from grief to meal deals! - and many more in between!

I ask them about their process behind this show:

Boldly, they reveal: “I’ve never written a play before, but whilst writing a Philosophy essay one time I became completely possessed by the image of a person in a car with an urn and a chatbot, trying to work out if they collectively qualified as the ‘two or more people’ needed to join a car share lane.” Then, they go on to tell me that, arduously, after, “One year of research, experimentation, and obsessive-opinion-piece-reading later, it’s built out into an hour-long story!”

Due to Sali’s history as a member of The Oxford Imps, a famed improvisational comedy group, I ask them how this play compares to their other work:

“Excellent question!” Immediately, I am told, “It is about as silly and playful, though significantly less improvised.” With slight vulnerability, they reveal, “it’s just me on stage for the hour playing against pre-recorded voiceovers as opposed to collaborating with a group,” Then they add jokingly, “it has been an exciting challenge to venture into solo(-ish) performance!”

“My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend”

I ask them why should people come to see it?

Their gleeful elevator pitch: “If you like AI, you should see it! If you don’t like AI, you should see it! If you’re confused about AI – you guessed it – come along and make up your mind!”

“My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend”

I ask Sali what they want people to take away from it?

“More than anything, I want people to come away from it compassionate towards the other side of the AI debate, whatever side of it they’re on.” They say to me, before continuing compassionately, “At the end of the day, people are just people, and lonely and odd and unthinking as others can be sometimes it serves us all well to remember that before judging.”

I ask them if there is anything they are excited to see themself with regards to their solo(-ish) performance?

“I’m excited to see the audience reactions to the voiceover parts – for many of the actors, it’s their Oxford Drama debut, and I’m beyond excited to see them getting the appreciation they deserve!” They explain to me with passion in their voice, “They’re a lovely, talented, funny bunch.”

Since they have now written and are performing their first play, I ask them if they had any advice that would give to anyone who was in a similar position to them?

Their second fantastic elevator pitch: “If you have an idea, just get on and do it!”

Then cheekily, they add: “Your friends will thank you for not spending a year boring them lamenting ‘the play you’re never going to manage to write’…”

Finally, I ask them what’s next?

They tell me, “I’m back to the improv, as per, and then who knows…” Then, there’s a glow in their eye, “I’m up in Edinburgh with the Imps this August anyway, so we’ll see if there’s appetite for a Fringe run!”

The instagram link for the Oxford Imps is: https://www.instagram.com/oxfordimpstagram/

The instagram link for Interrobang Productions is: https://www.instagram.com/interrobangproductionsox/

“My Dead Mum’s AI Boyfriend”