It’s no secret that mental health technology is advancing at an alarming rate. Whether it’s a non-invasive, gamer-style headset to treat depression (promising) or a totally not exploitative AI therapist (downright dystopian), the market shows that society’s desire for convenience in mental health treatment is not slowing down anytime soon.
So what if the average Joe had access to a treatment implanted directly into the brain, à la Elon Musk? What could possibly go wrong?
These are the questions Elby Rue seeks to answer in The Good Device — staged as a work-in-progress at the cosy Camden People’s Theatre. We meet Charlie (James Jip): a young man adrift and overwhelmed by his high-pressure job, snuck into a clinical trial by trainee doctor friend Lucia (Lorraine Yu) with questionable motives.
Similarly questionable are the intentions of the trial’s leader Agnes (Jennifer Lim) and Charlie’s new accomplice Felix (Daniel York Loh). We watch as Charlie experiences a seemingly miraculous improvement in his symptoms thanks to ‘The Device’. But when those effects are taken away, what is he left with? And what direction will the trial take when he moves on?
Being a work-in-progress show, The Good Device’s acting and writing are held under an intense spotlight, unable to hide behind elaborate lighting or staging. While we have to employ some creative licence as the stage directions are read aloud — and as a result perhaps miss the punch of the show’s emotional climax — we are treated to an intimate acting showcase. The cast alone draws us in and helps us see beyond the sparse stage, which is testament to their talent.
Their characters and performances are well balanced. James Jip gives an earnest performance as Charlie. He is a perfect antidote to York Loh’s Felix, who is a surreal presence, constantly morphing into new personas and cartoonish outfits — the descriptions of which are humorously delivered by the writer.
Yu provides an equally sensitive portrayal of grief-stricken Lucia, who is desperate to look after everyone while also advancing her own career. Meanwhile, although Jennifer Lim’s Agnes initially appears to be the cold scientist stereotype, her exterior realistically wanes throughout the show. She ultimately reveals that her core intentions are well-meaning, if misguided.
And so, The Good Device’s acting does stand up to that work-in-progress spotlight. The show raises important questions of identity beyond grief and mental illness and challenges us to consider the morals of technology that seeks to treat us at our most vulnerable. The bare-bones show holds strong promise, and I’d be excited to view it in its fullest form.
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