Joe Sellman-Leava returns to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Copycat, a new solo show that combines impressions, technology, and political inquiry to examine the growing influence of artificial intelligence on society. A Fringe First winner known for blending the personal with the political, Joe’s latest work continues that exploration, asking urgent questions about creativity, power, and what it means to be human in an increasingly automated world.
“I’m a writer and actor,” Joe explains, reflecting on a career shaped by collaboration and experimentation. “I trained in lots of different kinds of theatre, and left university with a group of people that I just really wanted to start making shows with.” That early commitment to devising and ensemble work still underpins everything they do. “Whether it’s a writer’s room or a rehearsal room, the idea belongs to the group, and I just really love working that way.”
That ethos has led Joe to a diverse body of work, from touring productions to screenwriting, but a consistent thread runs through it all. “The work I’ve been particularly interested in has been small p political,” they say. “Looking at something through a particular lens, social, economic, cultural etc and then finding the artistic gesture within that.” With Copycat, that gesture takes the form of impressions, used not just for comedy but as a tool for interrogation.
“I’ve used impressions in my shows for quite a long time,” Joe says. “In this one, we start with familiar voices, and then increasingly it’s tech figures, people who aren’t household names but probably should be.” The aim is to reveal the personalities shaping the technology that is rapidly reshaping society. “It’s the people far more than the technology that could have the greatest negative impact.”
As the show develops, those impressions become a lens through which to explore deeper concerns. “What I’ve become really interested in is what that reveals about the person,” Joe explains. “How a relaxed accent might mask something more sinister, or how careful language conceals a bigger agenda.” The result is a performance that blends humour with unease, asking audiences to look more closely at the forces operating behind the scenes.
The idea for Copycat emerged gradually, as Joe grappled with the implications of AI both personally and professionally. “I was going through phases of how worried I should be,” they admit. “Listening to what people across different industries are feeling, and comparing that with research I’d done for previous shows.” What struck them most was the tone of inevitability surrounding the technology. “There’s this uncritical way it’s talked about, people saying it could end humanity, but we must adopt it. It’s so bizarre.”
That tension feeds directly into the themes of the show. “AI is compounding inequality,” Joe says. “The gains are mainly going to the owners of the technology, often built by taking the work of artists and writers without consent.” They also point to the broader consequences. “You add it all together, it’s driving inequality even faster. And there’s a real carelessness, at best an indifference to the damage being done.”
Despite the weight of these ideas, Copycat is far from a bleak experience. “Some of the research is really dark,” Joe acknowledges, “but the thing that gives me hope is that people are noticing, and they want to do something about it.” That desire for connection has shaped the show’s tone. “People are craving more human experiences, theatres and live events, and I think there might be a quiet resistance.”
Humour plays a crucial role in maintaining that balance. “There’s a lot of people to poke fun at,” Joe says. “They’re saying frightening things, but they’re also very easy to laugh at.” By leaning into the comedic potential of impressions, the show creates space for audiences to engage with difficult material. “Even though we go through the darkness, we want to bring people out the other side with the celebration of what theatre is, people coming together in the same space.”
Copycat is both a warning and a celebration. “Human-made art experienced by humans together is an inherently joyful thing,” Joe says. “We want to show what the alternative is and remind people that it’s good, that it’s fun.” For Joe, the Fringe remains the perfect place to share that message. “It’s unlike anywhere else, you leave a better artist than you arrived.”
And for audiences considering whether to take a chance on the show, the offer is simple. “It’s going to be a funny show,” Joe promises. “It’ll make you think and maybe make you quite angry in a satisfying way. First and foremost, we want it to be a great night out with some substance.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here
