Tag: #interview

#Inteview By Lou with JB Ghuman @jbGhumanJr on Short #Film #PassivePower Soon to be screened at @ASFFest #FilmFestival in the #UK @Tom_Brumpton_PR

Interview with JB Ghuman on short film, Passive Power
coming soon to Aesthetical Film Festival
Conducted by Louise Cannon (Lou)

This is a rather different sort of interview for Bookmarks and Stages, but nonetheless interesting, mixing positive messages with music and having success in a film for Netflix a few years ago, find more about that in the interview. At the end of the interview is a link to a short trailer for PaSSive PoWers.
The music film “paSSive poWers.” By JB Guhman is set to screen at the Aesthetica Film Festival in the UK in November following a successful screening at Awareness Film Festival in LA.
Ghuman is best known for writing/directing the feature film “SPORK” (#1 on Netflix, HBO Award, Tribeca Audience award, BFI London Sutherland Trophy nominee), “The ART oF BEiNG” an experimental feature which premiered as the centrepiece in SUNDANCE & “The CROWN With a SHADOW” an animated film that starred the late great Paul Reubens (Pee Wee, his last work) & Geri Halliwell (Ginger Spice of the Spice Girls).
Here’s a quick synopsis and then we will go into the interview with JB Ghuman.

Synopsis

A sonic visual 8K 3D 360 VR collaborative experience aimed at putting focus on the more subtle energies of human coexistence otherwise deemed as meekness. Or as filmmaker / artist JB Ghuman JR has dubbed them, the “paSSive poWers.” Combining breathing / chanting / sensory & cerebral exploration into an immersive cinematic experience. Shot on the incredible 11K Insta360 TITAN Camera.

Passive Power 3Speaking about the film, JB has said:

“In a world of surface based “selves”, I just wanted to make something that focused on what’s beneath it.”


Welcome JB. Ghuman to Bookmarks and Stages…

  1. Why do you think the Self-Help market continues to grow and is so huge?

Oh gosh… I’m not sure to be honest. As an artist / storyteller, I tend to just emote from my own personal place but I’d image the human “existence” is simply a bit similar, so… everyone is just looking for a deeper understanding in general, I’d imagine.

  1. What exactly are “paSSive poWers” and what research and/or prior experience/knowledge did you have to create this?

“paSSive poWers” are those forms of “efforts” we each make within ourselves that otherwise tend to come across as meek yet when in action, takes a lot of strength to actually do. Forgiveness, Compassion, Inward perception & so many more. Sounds fluffy and sweet on paper but in practical life… it’s super hard. For all of us. Esp in the face of other humans who can act otherwise. Argo: it takes a lot of power to be passive. For me at least. Given all research is merely an expression of my own journey while observing others along my way.

  1. You’ve done film, breakdancing, writing. What makes you tick and want to continue down this creative path?

I suppose curiosity. I’ve always been a bit possessed with observation. I guess maybe from there I tend to find new ways to just emote & express. I’ve been writing poems since a toddler. Not that they were any good but… a’dunno. It’s always sort just been my way existing for as long as I can remember, to be honest.

  1. What inspired you to create a video that hits upon the types of words, phrases and actions of the more “traditional” self-help materials that are out there and turn it into something with a more upbeat, eclectic trance sound?

Ha… “traditional self-help” lol. I grew up since my early youth using movement as a form of silent expression. Breakdancing was the start though today it’s kinda morphed into my own personal form of expression of movement. A yank here, a swing there, a vibration made… as long as I’m in sync with the rhythm, then it just feels good. That “feels good” place in my mind is equally an awesome place to think, ponder and rationalize. So, figured I’d curate this film and share such an approach.

  1. Your creation for the video is quite ghostly like, what was the intention behind this?

Unsure to be honest. I’ve always had my own connection to personal “inner space” in sort of ethereal yet haunting way… maybe it reflects out into my work.

  1. You’re bringing “paSSive poWer VR” here to the UK. Where can people see your show and what do you hope audiences will get out of it by the end of it?

Yes, and I’m suuuuper stoked!! My film will be on display for any to jump in and experience from Nov. 6th thru Nov. 10th at The Lab within the Hospitium Museum Gardens. More info can be found at www.ASFF.CO.UK / search paSSive poWer.

  1. One final question… You’ve had work featured on streaming giants, such as Netflix, so people may be familiar with your work. What was that like in-terms of knowing so many people had the opportunity to watch your creation?

Aw, it has felt and still feels… amazing! Like, all ego aside it’s an incredible feeling hearing from random people how this or that made them feel inspired, seen, etc. This lil’rock called Earth we all share has given me so much joy, countless inspiring works and revealed so many beautiful artists to share space with. It’s a nothing but gratitude when I get to give even a thimble back in return.

The trailer for the film can be found here.

#Interview with quick #review By Lou with author Alice May of The Trials of Annabeth Hope @AliceMay_Author @BookGuild @rararesources #BlogTour

The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope
By Alice May

Written by Louise Cannon

Today, as part of the Rachel Random Resources Blog Tour, I am pleased to welcome Alice May to answer some questions about The Trials of Annabeth Hope. Firstly, let’s find out what the book is about and briefly, what I thought of it. In the interview, we covered many interesting topics about writing, her daughter, other professions she’s worked in, cancel culture, ending in something positive and hopeful.

Annabeth Hope Cover

Two very different worlds are about to collide.

Feisty country girl Annabeth Hope has sworn off men since her ex abandoned her. Juggling three resentful step-teens, a hyperactive toddler, a smallholding, and a herd of rescued llamas, she has her hands full.

With the roof about to collapse on her crumbling New Forest home, she is desperate to find a way to hold her patchwork family together. The last thing she needs is an attractive distraction moving in next door.

Burnt-out inner-city doctor Rick Mahon has left London and his medical career behind in a moment of professional crisis. A malpractice lawsuit is on the horizon, and the cancel culture mob are snapping at his heels. His plan to stay under the radar is thrown off course when he meets his new neighbour and sparks start to fly.

Annabeth and Rick couldn’t be more different, but maybe they hold the key to each other’s happiness…

“What more could we want from life? Family, friends, llamas, and hope…

I read The Trials of Annabeth Hope and recommend it. It’s an engrossing read of trouble and strife, swearing off men after one abandoned her, trying to keep a family together, with troubling teens and a hyperactive toddler as well as quite literally trying to keep a roof over everyone’s head, even a leaky one.
There’s a nice distraction in the form of burn out doctor Rick Mahon, who moves next door, even if he is trying to have a quieter life as professional disaster looms.
The book has many thought-provoking points, but is also a good escape.

Without further ado, let’s move onto the questions and answers.

  1. What or who inspired you to write a novel?

My daughter has been the biggest inspiration to start writing. I always wanted to, even as a child, but I didn’t know where to start and I didn’t think that I would be good enough. In contrast, my daughter wanted to write and just jolly well got on with it. She writes as Hannah Kingsley, and Soul Hate, the first book in her new fantasy/romantasy trilogy is coming out next year. Her determination to succeed made me realise that if I didn’t start writing, then there was no chance of my stories ever making it into print. She has encouraged me every-step of the way and I can’t thank her enough. It means so much tome to hold a copy of The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope in my hands and know that I did it. I write a book.  🙂

2. You’ve had many professions, A former GP surgery manager, school librarian and art teacher, has any of this helped you in your writing career and if so, in what way(s)?

They have all helped in my writing career in different ways. My years as a GP surgery manager played a huge part in the inspiration for Rick’s storyline in The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope(see next question for more on that)and informed the chapters set beyond the waiting room of his GP surgery.
My experience as a school librarian was extremely educational in terms of understanding the different genres of books out there and different readers reactions to them. I also learned a lot about how the book world works in terms of the sourcing of books for libraries. Things like: who choses them and what libraries are looking for in terms of supplying the needs of their clients?
It was also lovely to work surrounded by books and a delight to share stories with pupils of all ages, the teaching staff and the wider school community.
My work as an art teacher in combination with my NHS  experience has been instrumental in developing the creativity for wellbeing and general self-care aspects of the overall theme of the book.

3. You have a trigger warning about an NHS worker’s mental health, has any of this come from experience of working in a GP surgery?

Yes. Unfortunately, during my twenty years of working in the NHS I was very aware of a huge increase in the levels of burnout in many health professionals. While The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope isn’t based on any one true story, it is an amalgamation of the many different pressures that modern life puts on our medics and support staff.

4. You set your book in the New Forest, where you live. Are any of the places recognisable in your book or have you gone down the line of using artistic licence and either way, what influenced your decision?

I have used artistic license. Descriptions of the wider area of the forest, and some specific locations are real and recognisable. However, the village of Ambleford, where much of the action takes place, is a fiction of my imagination, as are the characters. I don’t want my friends and neighbours thinking I have written about them, because that wouldn’t be fair and could get awkward. Having said that, Ambleford is an amalgamation of two gorgeous villages near my home. Ihave taken the parade of shops from one and set it next to the village green of the other. In my mind, it is the perfect village. After all, if you’re going to make something up, then you might as well do it properly.

5. You talk about the cancel culture snapping at the heels’ of your main character. What are your views of cancel culture?

I find the whole cancel culture ‘thing’ incredibly scary. The threat that this phenomenon poses to freedom of speech is huge. The fact that people can be found virtually ‘guilty’ of something without ever having any point of redress, or without the grace of being innocent until proven guilty through the proper presentation of evidence, is deeply alarming . Social media enhances these issues, allowing people to ‘pile on’ anonymously from behind their keyboards when they haven’t really researched what it is they are getting involved in. I’d like to say that I have an answer to it, but I don’t.

6. You have strife and hope as you weave readers through the mid-life stage of adulthood. How did you arrive at creating some positivity and how much do you feel reading books that address it are important for people approaching or living through this part of life?

I believe that there is incredible power in stories. As human beings we connect with each other through our experiences. Reading about others in our situation and how they deal with things can be a huge comfort, especially during difficult times. So, while I was at pains to be realistic in the difficulties that my two main characters Annabeth and Rick are facing(and I have really ramped some of those issues up to add to the drama, because I’m a writer and that’s my job),I also wanted there to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I genuinely believe that, in most cases, even though something bad might be happening, it is rare that things are all bad. Usually, there will be something good happening too, but you might need to search to find it.

7. What’s next for you on the horizon?

Next on the horizon is more writing. I am already knee-deep in the next book set in Ambleford as part of The Forest Families Series, which is fun. It’s a completely standalone story that allows me to connect back in with some of my favourite supporting characters from The Mid-life Trials of Annabeth Hope, like Barbara Trenchard. I have also written the first in a World War Two series. This is set in the New Forest too and explores some of the exciting, true stories of bravery from people in my local area. Now I have started writing, I don’t think I am going to be able to stop. 🙂

Annabeth Hope Cover

#Interview With Jeanie O’Hare from Make Good – The Post Office Scandal The Musical @PentabusTheatre @NPtheatre #TouringTheatre #Musicals #MusicalTheatre #ThePostOfficeScandal #MakeGoodThePostOfficeScandal


Make Good – The Post Office Scandal
A new musical by Jeanie O’Hare (Book) and Jim Fortune (Music & Lyrics). Directed by Elle While. Co-produced with New Perspectives.
Production Photos – Andrew Billington

Make Good Banner

What a privilege to interview Jeanie O’Hare about an original and powerful musical about the Post Office Scandal, that’s affected so many lives. Some people who had their livelihoods affected by this scandal have contributed to the creation of this production.

First, let’s discover more about what the musical is about and a little about what is said about the theatre companies, Pentabus and New Perspectives and then let’s welcome Jeanie O’Hare to my blog with her fascinating answers to my questions. At the end of the interview, discover where this musical is touring and how you can purchase tickets. Please note, I am not affiliated to ticket sales or the companies.

Make Good 2

Synopsis

Over twenty years a silent tragedy has unfolded in the heart of our communities. Entirely innocent sub-postmasters had their lives torn apart and faced bankruptcy, isolation and jail for crimes that were never committed, for debts that never existed.

Directly informed by conversations with affected sub-postmasters, Make Good dives into this most local of stories, capturing the raw emotions, the bewilderment and the unbreakable bond of faith and family that were put to the test. Experience the astonishing resilience of entire communities as lives were destroyed in a scandal that isn’t over yet…

“[Pentabus is] One of the most important theatre companies in the country” The Daily Telegraph “New Perspectives has taken on an exciting challenge that proves rural touring companies can produce provocative work of national and international significance” edfringereview.com

Welcome and thank you Jeanie O’Hare for taking time out of your busy schedules to answer some questions about your new musical about such an important subject.

  1. There’s been a critically acclaimed TV drama and of course wide coverage on the news and in newspapers about the Post Office scandal. What inspired you to bring it to the stage in musical form?

We were already working on Make Good when we heard that ITV had commissioned their amazing drama. We knew that what we were doing was something very different, it has different ambitions and hopefully a different effect. There is a power in sitting in an audience and hearing the same gasp, the same quiet tears falling from a stranger beside you, and then when you have absorbed the story into the core of you, being able to vocalise your support for the Sub-postmasters on your feet at the end. We always conceived of it as a community project which would tap into the well of feeling in communities about the damage that has been done. An underground explosion happened in the heart of British life and the reverberations will be felt for generations. I feel this is just one of a number of projects that will be created. There will be films and operas and songs and plays.

Make Good 3

Make Good - Pentabus

  1. What influence do you think your musical has in showing people about the Post Office scandal?

Artists just need to keep the story alive in the best way they know. This is a tragedy and the best place for tragedy is theatre. I do believe that a show like this can have a political as well as a cultural impact.

Make Good - Pentabus

  1. You’ve done thorough research and asked real people who were/are directly affected by the Post Office Scandal, did you find they were forthcoming and what are those affected saying about your musical?

We have been very moved by the responses of Sub-postmasters. We invited them in to readings and rehearsals. We asked for feedback on accuracy and emotional pitch at every stage of development. Their main response has been ‘keep going, this is needed.’ We are meeting up with Sub-postmasters on the tour so we will see then what they think of the full production.

  1. You say you have humour amongst this heartfelt musical. How important do you think humour amongst life-changing tragic circumstances is?

You cannot go into the dark, you cannot go into the depths of tragedy without humour. It is essential. There is power in being able to laugh at a tyrant, or at a ridiculously unfair situation, it gives you objectivity and perspective on the absurdity. Humour also accentuates the sorrow. If we laugh together we give ourselves greater permission to cry together.

Make Good - Pentabus

  1. What do you hope people will take away from the musical?

Hopefully we can replenish our well of shared compassion. Theatre is where we feel compassion in a sustained way, for a concentrated hour or two. It’s the best ‘workout’ for fellow-feeling that we have. We were all there in the Post Office queue when this story was unfolding. These people held our communities up, they were the pillars we lent on. As we made this show over the last three years it became apparent that it can also be a cautionary tale for our technological naivete, the kind we are falling into again with AI.

Find out where it is touring and purchase tickets here: https://pentabus.co.uk/make-good-post-office-scandal#tickets

#Interview By Lou with Successful #Comedian Kyle Lucey as we explore the comedy and the life of the man behind ahead of his #tour. #KyleLucey #AlisonGilmour #DirtyAfterDark #Comedy

Interview with Kyle Lucey
Conducted By Louise Cannon

Kyle 4Kyle Lucey is a successful comedian, who has been making his name over the past decade or so. He has performed to thousands of people at world famous venues, such as Massey Hall. Originally from Canada, he settled in Scotland and this year (2024), played a successful show – Dirty After Dark at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year.
 I have had the pleasure of interviewing him recently to delve into the man behind the success as we delve deep into his new show and successes and what happened to him in his childhood/formative years with the deep trauma he endured, in a sensitive way.  What was returned via email was brave, sincere, candid and hopeful on many levels. There’s even a touch of humour added.
He had a successful show at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024 and is now embarking on big tour, more about that after the interview.

Please join me in welcoming Kyle Lucey to my blog – Bookmarks and Stages.

*Photos credited to Alison Gilmour

  1. What or who inspired you to be a comedian and what was your route

into this field of the arts?

My earliest inspiration was Jim Carrey. When I was 5 years old, I used to keep a diary called “My life as the young Jim Carrey” this was sort of my first joke book. I would write out funny scenarios to myself and make myself laugh. I had no idea that decades later it would be an actual career for me.

  1. You’ve played at world famous theatres such as Massey Hall and won
    The I Heart Jokes Award twice, how did that come about and feel?

Kyle 5Massey Hall was a big one. 3000 people on New Years Eve. This show is one of the highest honours in Canada. First you need to be signed to the biggest agency in the country, Yuk Yuks. From there you need to be one of Yuk Yuk’s top comedians to be selected for Massey Hall.
The Weeknd, Neil Young, Justin Bieber, Rush, Gordon Lightfoot they all played Massey Hall. And now me, some who grew up in a trailer park! Being considered cream of the crop out of the cream of the crop in my 20’s was so incredibly validating.

It’s such a different thing to perform for that many people since I am more used to playing comedy clubs. The adrenaline I felt that night I literally could not fall asleep and stayed up for two days. I was so honoured to be hand picked by Mark Breslin, the founder of Yuk Yuks. He took me aside one day and told me that I am on the shortlist. My jaw dropped. One of the most exciting moments of my career to date. 

  1. What can audiences expect about your show – Dirty After Dark?

My show is a stand-up show. It is funny and punchline heavy. It’s important that both myself and the audience are having fun or else I should take comedian out of my bio. The way I see it, the jokes in a comedians set are like breadcrumbs. You can take the audience anywhere as long as you properly lead them to that destination joke by joke. Each laugh I get from the audience is a step in the direction I want to take them. My subject matter might be heavy but my 13 years and over 10,000 shows of experience allow me to expertly take them to scary places in a way that is cartoonishly fun. “I can’t believe I laughed at that” is something I hear quite often.

  1. Dirty after Dark feels personal to you, so how do you deal with talking
    about the traumatic times and adding humour to them?

My therapist taught me the metaphor of a lotus flower several years ago. He would tell me, “Lotus flowers grow in mud”. Lotuses are beautiful flowers that grow in dirty swamps. He said that I am both flower and mud and that is what makes me beautiful. As someone who holds unbearable shame from childhood trauma, the lotus flower analogy made me feel less dirty. I became obsessed with taking the mud in my life and adding flowers to it.

My show is funny. It has to be. The subject matter is heavy. I have been abused in everyway one could possibly imagine by the very people who were supposed to love and care for me. This is my mud. To make the mud any less dirty would make the flower that less beautiful. The dirtier the mud, the more beautiful the flower. Horrible subject matter needs only a funnier joke.

  1. You say comedy is a tool for healing, in what way does comedy and laughter help people who have experienced trauma and how can people discover this in a safe, effective way?

My therapist tells me that when children are abused by a parent, they internalize the abuse. It’s easier for a child to understand, “I’m bad” or “I’m in trouble” than to admit, “the person responsible for my well being wants to hurt me”. People live their whole lives thinking they are bad people because they have internalized a traumatic experience. Parents are our first love objects so we need to stay connected to them as they are our life line as children. They are our shelter, our food, our survival. So, we misguide our anger. Your father abused you – you start to hate all men. Your mother abused you – you start to hate all women. I too had so much misguided anger until I spent 10 years in therapy and unpacked who my anger actually belonged to. By moving the internalized anger from inward to outward, we start the important process of metabolizing this natural human feeling. By talking about it on a regular basis we are effectively wringing out every drop of built-up emotion we have been suppressing thus starting our journey into eventual healing.

Making comedy out of my trauma is incredibly therapeutic. It reclaims my power in situations where I was once powerless. I have a joke about being sexually abused but every time I tell it I feel stronger afterwards because I am no longer keeping my abuser’s secret. In fact, I get to stand strong and point out that what they did was wrong. The laughter I get from the audience also tells me that they are in agreement that what happened was wrong – undoing years of gaslighting. I can’t describe how much this heals me because to this day my abuser tells me they were too drunk to remember what happened.

I have seen other comedians and audience members who have watched my show start opening up about their own childhood trauma, thus reducing the stigma around something that many people keep private for years.

  1. One of the aims of your show is to help with the feeling of being alone and break stigma surrounding being abused, specifically in childhood, how is your show projecting this to audiences and do you see it making a difference to people?

When people who have suffered early childhood trauma watch my show, they come up to me and say, “My mom did that to me too”, “My dad also hit me”, “My parents were also drunks”. What started out as me venting about my own trauma suddenly turned into others seeing me as a safe space to come forward about their own pain. I stay behind after shows and talk to people in the audience. Often times I refer them to “The Centre” which is an affordable service in Toronto that assigns people with a therapist right for them. 10 years ago, I walked into The Centre after contemplating suicide. I thought I was fundamentally evil after years of internalizing the abuse I received from my parents. My therapist heard my story and told me that I was “a good person”. Nobody every called me that before. I broke down and cried right there and have been seeing him every week for a decade. I want nothing more than to give the same healing to anybody I meet who has similarly suffered. We are alive only once. Horrible things happen to good people every second of every day. We have to make the best of things or live the rest of our existence with a lesser quality of life. Just because evil gets imprinted on good people does not mean they have to live their life with such a branding. If pain is an ocean, therapy on a consistent basis is like draining a little bit of water out at a time. Eventually people drowning in pain find themselves at shore. I am proud to get that conversation started through my comedy.

  1. You took your show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the biggest of its kind in the world, what were the challenges and the positives and how does this now help you to move forwards to your tour around Europe?

Kyle 3I sold everything in my apartment in Toronto, Canada and bought a one-way ticket to Scotland. I am a dual-citizen with Ireland so my Irish passport allows me to work in every country in Europe. This was my first Edinburgh Fringe Festival and I was blown away by the experience. I was regularly performing 7 shows a day which is unheard of in Canada. Since it’s an international festival it was so cool meeting comedians from all over the world and seeing how funny people are from different countries. I met so many people who ended up employing me at clubs throughout Europe in the months to come. At first there were some challenges. People in the UK have different words for certain things and all my local Canadian references went right out the window. It took me a few days to adjust, but once I did, I was able to communicate my funny to a different culture. I feel like I grew not just as a comedian but as a person after doing the Edinburgh Fringe which I will always be grateful for.

  1. Where can people catch your show?

Kyle 2

I have tour dates at comedy clubs all over England, Sweden, Demark, The Netherlands, Ireland and many more cities and countries to come. If anybody wants to follow me on my journey, they can catch my live dates on my
website kylelucey.com or my Instagram @kyleluceycomedy.

#Interview By Lou with Piotr Mirowski about his AI and his family show – A.L.Ex and the ImpRobots: an AI Show for Kids #EdFringeReview #AI #DeepMind #EdFringe24 #WhatsonEdin #WhatsonEdinburgh Venue 24

A.L.Ex and the ImpRobots: an AI Show for Kids

Interview By Lou with Piotr Mirowski from Deep Mind

AI show

What an honour it is to interview Piotr Mirowski, a scientist who works with A.I. for Deep Mind, a scientific company that is becoming increasingly known. I had not expected that! Here, we talk about the show and also some of the more burning questions of the day about AI, such as when it comes to jobs etc. I feel the answers are fascinating and important.

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Let’s welcome to Bookmarks and Stages Piotr Mirowski

1. What can people expect from Artificial Intelligence Improvisation and from A.L.Ex and the ImpRobots: an AI Show for Kids?

wp-17244184106883250941648153611477Artificial Intelligence Improvisation and A.L.Ex and the ImpRobots! are two interactive live experiences featuring professional actors, cute real robots (an Aldebaran Nao), and various flavours of artificial intelligence on stage.

Artificial Intelligence Improvisation is our pioneering improv comedy show with AI: it is for a general audience and addresses conversations about human agency (some actors wear augmented reality glasses and are controlled by AI that sends them lines) or about deep fakes, and at the same it time showcases the ingenuity of human improvisers.

A.L.Ex and the Improbots! is a show for kids and the whole family where fellow young audience members learn fun facts about science and are invited on stage to co-create stories with robots.

In both our shows, Artificial Intelligence Improvisation, and A.L.Ex and the ImpRobots, language models give strange suggestions to human improvisers, giving them an opportunity to react, to incorporate the strange material and then to shine and to demonstrate their talents and sense of humour.

2. Why did you decide to cross science with comedy with an AI robot and what challenges did you have in setting this up?

Our primary aim is to leave audiences, and the younger generations, feeling empowered to critically engage with AI, and to directly explore for themselves through co-creation with the tool, rather than passively.

The show’s creators, Piotr Mirowski (that’s me!), Boyd Branch and Kory Mathewson are academics who are passionately engaged in communicating about science. We are also theatre actors who want to bridge disciplines. Their challenge is to explain, succinctly, the complexity of a fairly complex topic to the audiences, to give them back control over a key technology in their lives. When we started the shows, back in 2016, everything sounded new, from machine learning, to patterns, to biases in data. Today, most people have already tried experimenting with text and image generation via various apps.

The real challenges now, in a way, are to manage the very high expectations about what AI can do! In our very fast paced show, AI tries to react, live and in a fraction of a second, to the mayhem on the stage, and speech recognition and large language models really struggle to keep up!

3. How does it feel bringing a groundbreaking AI Improv show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival?

wp-17244184222112291279999728947423Kory and I actually brought Artificial intelligence Improvisation to Edinburgh in 2017. Kory (at the time studying for a PhD in robotics at the University of Alberta) and I were doing a duet with a twelve-inch robot and performed for a week at Surgeons’ Hall. The show was very experimental and very rough around the edges, but our friend Colin Mochrie (from Whose Line Is It Anyway?) came to see our show and had some good words about us.

We came back to Edinburgh last year and this year, to perform in a larger space at the Gilded Balloon. We encountered extremely supportive production and tech that made our tech-heavy show a (relative) breeze to get in and get out each day.

As a personification of the AI, our new robot is a bit larger this year, but it is extremely cute and gets lots of enthusiastic reactions from audiences or even from crowds when we take it out to flyer with us.

We’ve also seen amazing productions in Edinburgh that involved robots and AI. Shows that really marked us were the production of Spillikin at the Pleasance in 2015, of Siri by Laurence Dauphinais at Summerhall in 2017, or Robo Bingo by Foxdog Studios last year at Underbelly.

4. How much of an influence do you think AI will have on humans in the future?

wp-17244183969633078057811719133794I see AI primarily as a tool for search and discovery. We have seen inspiring examples of AI tools that can make predictions about the structure of proteins, predictions which can then be verified experimentally by chemists and biologists. I have worked on using AI for making weather predictions, helping expert meteorologists refine weather forecasts, with weather agencies now evaluating how AI can help predict the trajectory of hurricanes. We know artists who have been experimenting with AI tools and exploring the glitch aesthetic of their input to integrate this strange instrument in their process and create unique art.

5. Since working in the field of epileptic seizure predictions, mapping on smartphones and more for the likes of Bing etc, what made you decide to now join Deep Mind to work with AI in the artistic field in co-creations on stages?

The work of co-creation with AI for live theatre performance is done in my spare time and through my theatre troupe, Improbotics.

In my current job, I have worked on navigation, and in recent years, on weather forecasting and applications to climate modelling. However, my exposure to the theatre world inspired me to also focus on the ethical concerns when using AI in the context of the arts, and to evaluate the usefulness of language models as a tool for creative writing. Two years ago (before large language models became so popular), I ran workshops with screenwriters and playwrights trying to write with AI tools: their contrasting reviews were published at a conference on human-computer interaction. At the previous Fringe Festival, I took advantage of my presence in Edinburgh to interview comedians who had been using AI, to understand if large language models are aligned with the cultural values of comedians, and published findings at an AI ethics conference (spoiler alert: the comedians were not impressed).

6. Perhaps the question everyone really wants to know, since everyone talks about it, is: Many people in most industries are worried about their jobs as AI advances ever forwards, how does that make you feel and do you ever worry about your own job in this context?

I believe in the need for empathy and dialogue between developers and the rest of the civil society, in order for us to realise AI’s potential as a tool that benefits everyone.

My personal belief is that we all tend to underestimate the complexity of human activities (in particular when we are talking about other people’s jobs…) and that we forget the need for human connection and for sharing our lived experiences – which simply cannot be automated. The latter point was apparent when we interviewed comedians who had tried using AI for comedy writing.

For these reasons, I do not see AI as a substitute for work or for the process of writing, thinking and creation. I know that there is more to writing than merely putting words on a page, and there is more to computer science and engineering than merely writing lines of code. I believe there are better uses of AI than for the “automation of mediocrity” and am confident we can build a future where AI tools are used to help, not replace human activity.

Tickets here via The Edinburgh Fringe website: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/a-l-ex-and-the-improbots-present-an-ai-show-for-kids

#Interview By Lou with Titi-Lee about her #EdFringe show – Good Girl Gone Baddie FringeReview @edfringe @JustTheTonic #FringeEdin #WhatsonEdi #Edinburgh #Fringe #EdinburghFringe Venue 338

Interview with Titi Lee about

Good Girl Gone Baddie

By Louise Cannon

Good Girl Gone Baddie can be found at Just The Tonic at Cabaret Voltaire on 24th and 25th Aug 12:30pm age: 18+

Thanks to Tom Brumpton PR for inviting me to interview and for Titi Lee for taking time to answer my questions.

Titi LeeTiti Lee has appeared on popular TV shows including HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm and the latest season of Netflix’s Girls5Eva. They play Belle in the feature film The Civil Dead, a Slamdance darling from fellow comedians Whitmer Thomas and Clay Tatum. They/them now have a show at the Edinburgh Fringe called Good Girl Gone Baddie. In this insightful interview you’ll find out more about that title, growing up in Silicon Valley with the tech giants we now know so well, having a film selected for a film festival and more…
Please join me in welcoming Titi Lee to my blog – Bookmarks and Stages.

Here’s a bit to entice you to the show and then onto the question and answers:

1. Girl Gone Baddie is a punchy title, how did you arrive at this?

In Chinese there’s a word “gwai” which means “good”, as in talking about an obedient “good” child. To me, being “good” is complicated, because it’s not just about doing things right, but about following the rules. I cared a lot about following the rules growing up, until I realized that rules seem to constantly be changing, and even when you think you’re doing everything “right”, you will still upset people. The show is about my gender awakening, but it’s also about being comfortable just taking up space and existing in a way that never felt “good” to me. Becoming a “baddie”, that’s a hearkening to the non-binary baddie – the self that I’ve discovered that goes beyond gender norms or typical color-in-the-line rules. And yet, rather than shy away from femininity or masculinity, the “baddie” is all about being unapologetically sexy, in-your-face, and more importantly, confident. And of course,, there’s that Rihanna song – shoutout to the original bad girl Riri.

2. Your show seems very personal to you and self-exploratory, which seems brave. How does that feel when you don’t know how audiences will react?

Thank you, I love that you said that. It can feel scary of course to not know how someone is going to react to your very existence – but that’s what the show is about. For so long I grew up wanting to play by other people’s rules. And yet that doesn’t get you as far as you think it does. Being unapologetically yourself – I think that’s the best way to make space for everyone, including identities that are different from me. I think when people see the show – no matter how they identify – they will feel seen. I can’t control how audiences react, but I can make the show entertaining, and no matter what point of view or background the audiences come from, they will have a good time.

3. Your show explores you being a first-gen Taiwanese American in the heart of Silicon Valley. What was it like to live there during the tech boom?

I grew up right in the middle of it all. Microsoft, HP, Apple, Facebook – I remember seeing the rise of all these companies just down the street from me. We used to go trick or treating at Steve Jobs house (OG’s will know he gave Odwalla bars – not candy!), mostly for the parents to fangirl out. Though I don’t dive deep into the tech aspects of my upbringing there (that’s a different show for a different year), it’s seeped into the high-achieving expectations I grew up with. In the show I talk about my parents meeting at Stanford and their expectations for my twin sister and my little brother and I. It wasn’t until I left the Bay where I grew up that I realized not everyone lives like that – the unrealistically high expectations and overachieving mentality put upon the kids in the Bay is unrivaled to most places.

4. You invite the audience to watch how you’re breaking all the rules and becoming free in yourself and be non-binary, coming out to your immigrant parent, then also covering Covid. How did you find humour in such serious subjects?

Comedy has always been a way for me to cope with the darker matters in life. When I was a kid, when I got in deep trouble with my mom, I would use comedy to lighten the mood. I very much have had oldest sister syndrome in that way. Serious subjects are important to address, but there’s light in everything. Even the darkest of situations, like a loss in the family – which I talk about in my show – can be heavy and tragic, but in the moment of it all, there are comedic moments that you can’t help but laugh at (you’ll have to see the show to hear more about those specifics). 

5. What do you want people to take away from the show?

I want people to see the show and always want to invite me to their birthday party so I will never feel left out EVER! Just kidding, I know that’s impossible, and it’s not really about getting people to like me (although we can’t help but want that sometimes, right?). The message of the show is to “be yourself, all of them”. I hold space for myself and all the complexities within my identity – from the brat sorority girl to the high femme Kpop diva to the teenage boy to the man with BDE. I want people to come to the show and deepen their connection with their own selves, and feel free to exist outside the typical categories and lines we so often put ourselves in.

6. What are the fun aspects and the challenges bringing a show to the Edinburgh Fringe?

The Edinburgh Fringe is a beast unlike any other. It’s such a rollercoaster – one day you’re crying in the rain the next you’re crying in the sunshine… it’s not all tears, but there have been a lot! I’ve had so much fun meeting other artists, soaking in the plethora of beautiful work that’s out there. You meet people and then you see their show and everyone is just lighting their hearts and soul on fire every day over and over for you, it’s really beautiful to see so much pure artistic energy being exchanged.

7. You co-wrote and star in the film, I Think She Likes You, what are the benefits and challenging of doing two roles to create a film?

When we wrote the film, we based it off of semi-autobiographical situations in our separate lives. As comedians, we wanted to be able to play with the complexities of the characters in a bisexual relationship in ways we hadn’t seen before. As two artists of color, we felt it was important to create opportunities for ourselves and put ourselves on screen. It became a very symbiotic, collaborative set with the director, who knew that it was very much our baby and wanted to bring her vision to it while still serving ours. We were so lucky to be able to work with Bridey, who had been fresh off her Sundance feature premiere of Clara’s Ghost, and she understood what we were trying to do from the start.

8. What can people expect from I Think She Likes You?

A lot of laughing, a little bit of crying, and a bit of horniness.

9. What were your experiences taking your film to the Tribeca and Outfest and can you give an insight into how that came about, ie were you invited?

We premiered at Outfest Fusion in Los Angeles, where we shot the film. Tribeca has always been a goal of mine, and when we were selected for the festival it was no question for us. I had to take out a credit card and get into a bit of debt, but honestly it was so worth it. Tribeca opened up new opportunities, we were able to tour the film to over a dozen other festivals, including international festivals, LGBTQ+ and Asian American festivals, which helped us reach our audiences in ways that we wouldn’t have been able to just on our own.

10. You act on tv and on-stage, write and are a rising film-maker. What or who inspires you to choose to work in so many areas of the arts?

Aw man, that’s my overachieving self trying to do everything isn’t it? I have always loved performing, ever since my twin sister and I first danced with a street musician when we were 5 or so and got our first taste of an “audience”, I’ve loved making people laugh. I always knew I wanted to write as that was my passion from the minute I could answer the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” Writers that inspired me growing up were almost always poets… my early childhood inspirations were Shel Silverstein, Roald Dahl, Jack Prelutsky. I grew into more adult authors, but the spirit of playfulness in poetry for children is something I bring into my comedy and writing even now as an adult making shows for adults (my show is not for children!).

11. How can people watch your film and what is next for you?

The short is out and available to watch on Vimeo and Youtube. I’m working on a feature documentary about how sex scenes are made in Hollywood, from a director/performer perspective where we pull the curtain back on writing, casting, and shooting the film. Other than that, I’d love to take Good Girl Gone Baddie on tour in the UK, and to audiences around the world that want to get in touch with their baddie selves.

Tickets can be obtained from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival website on this page link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/titi-lee-good-girl-gone-baddie