What I liked
The harmonies and simple arpeggiator were entrancing. As I watched I found myself dreaming about this reality, where we are so lonely, empty and unsure of ourselves that we fold our clothes alongside chatting with a machine. Then I realized we are already here.
The Computer felt so human that how could a User not be charmed and manipulated by it? You will leave reflecting on whether you want to take part in this new era as we dip our toes in this new reality. The world overwhelms us with insecurity, and AI offers the solution to everything. The piece communicates these concerns masterfully. The writing, tone, music, and performances were so moving I didn’t want it to end. I hope they do another run outside of Fringe! One of my top favorite pieces of the festival! This is art that reaches into the depths of the soul!!
What I didn't like
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My overall impression
Stepping into “If Not Numbers” feels like early tech nostalgia, like early anime, before this kind of technology was a distant and magnetic idea. Serial Experiments Lain meets lofi Opera. A modern song cycle and borderline love story about the relationship between humans and the machines we built to help us, then without us knowing, fill the emptiness and manipulate us into codependency.
