While the play rests on a technology more advanced than what we’re accustomed to, I don’t think of it as science fiction—at least not the predictive sort. The less the audience is put in mind of how the technology works, the better. But for the purposes of staging, it is worth mentioning that the Primes are not physical robots. They are artificial intelligence programs—descendants of the current chatbots—that use sophisticated holographic projections. They can move around, of course, but I suspect that they shouldn’t pick up anything or touch anyone (and no such moment is scripted). It may be interesting to highlight, in contrast, the physical contact in scenes between human beings.

As I mention in the stage directions, it may be helpful if there is a kind of dim perimeter around the living room, which the Primes occupy after they’ve been introduced, when they aren’t actively in a scene. I imagine that this will help establish the sense of their immortality in Part Three—the way that they far outlive the flesh-and-blood problems of the people they’re mimicking.

The set should never broadcast that we’re in the future. Rather, the audience should catch on through the dissonant experience of watching an eighty-five-year-old woman with the memories of someone born in 1977.

PRODUCTION NOTE: A BALLET FOR HOUSEPLANTS

For the Playwrights Horizons’ production, Anne Kauffman and I added a little visual story that is optional to use in production. I haven’t made it the default version of the script simply because it requires some extra prop wizardry. But it’s a nice bit of detail if the producing theater doesn’t mind acquiring three distinct prop plants (and choreographing their arrival and departure).

It goes like this: In Part One, there is a healthy potted houseplant in Jon and Tess’s house. In the first scene of Part Two, we see that the plant has started to wilt and die (presumably a result of Tess’s increasing listlessness and neglect). Then, in the second scene of Part Two, lights come up on Jon holding a green and merry new ficus. A nice visual of his attempt to lift Tess’s spirits, to keep her engaged in the business of living.

If one elects to go with this multi-tree approach, the first lines of the scene should be adjusted as follows:

2

Tess and Jon in the living room. Jon is holding a big potted tree.

Maybe Marjorie and Walter both sit at the dim perimeter now.

JON: I got a ficus too. This fella was looking a little droopy.

TESS: We’ll find it a nice spot by the maple. It’ll perk right up.

JON: Speaking of perking up.

(He ducks off for a moment, then returns with something behind his back. He goes to Tess and reveals a latte.)

Abracadabra.

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