Last night I attending the second dress rehearsal in a packed theatre of the world premier of ELIZA by Tom Holloway. at Melbourne Theatre Company .
It was a totally gripping and profoundly resonating one hour forty minutes. One of the best plays I’ve experienced in a decade.
What resonated with me was the human relationships both intimate and the collective.
Dr Joseph Weizenbaum, a man that felt the sting of isolation and could not trust any living breathing person to share his haunting truths created an AI bot that succeeded in helping him uncover his buried memories, deepest fears and judgements.
The last scene made clear that it was only through the power of emotional engagement, understanding and empathy with another human being face to face could he finally make peace with himself.
About the Show
“Dr Joseph Weizenbaum (Dan Spielman: Black Snow, The Newsreader), a brilliant professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, carries the trauma of a childhood fleeing Nazi Germany. When he begins testing a new computer program designed to simulate talk therapy – using details from his secretary Becky’s (Manali Datar: The Wrong Gods) private life – the lines between code and connection begin to blur. “
28 SEP — 31 OCT 2026
Inspired by true events, this world premiere by award-winning playwright Tom Holloway is a gripping psychological thriller about the birth of AI, and the ethical consequences of outsourcing our humanity.
Approx. 1 hour and 40 minutes. No interval.
- Production & Creative Team:
- Writer: Tom Holloway
- Director: Paige Rattray
- Venue: Southbank Theatre, The Sumner
- Main Cast:
- Dan Spielman as Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum
- Manali Datar as Becky
- Hamish Michael as Ronald / Others
