by Diana Miranda

A darkly humorous play about influencer culture in the AI age, Racheal Ofori’s FLIP! is a witty two-hander that follows the journey of friends Carleen and Crystal, popular co-vloggers who go above and beyond for online fame. After a few hit-and-miss attempts, Carleen starts producing content with FLIP, a new social media platform that utilises advanced AI. The fun satire takes a dark turn, and what follows is an exploration of the lengths people may go to craft an identity appealing to the masses, all for the sake of fame and fortune.

Carleen and Crystal (Leah St Luce and Jadesola Odunjo) get us on board from the outset with their catchy energy and unwavering charisma. Their dynamic performances range from goofy physicality emulating hilarious memes, to heartwarming displays of mutual support in their career-building endeavours. The duo commands the stage and their fun multi-rolling adds depth to their sorytelling as they embody various characters, including online trolls, video game avatars, a cheeky radio presenter and FLIP’s haughty agent.

Directed by Emily Aboud, FLIP! offers a fast-paced, kaleidoscopic portrayal of online content. All production elements neatly comes together to unravel the story: KJ’s lighting and Eliyana Evans’ sound design provide great texture, seamlessly transitioning between real-life and digital atmospheres. Anna Robinson’s set, consisting of grey cube lockers piled against the back wall, serves as a versatile backdrop. Carleen and Crystal constantly bring out colourful props, from bright-pink headphones to a ukulele, as if symbolising the myriad rabbit holes the internet can lead us down. Interestingly, the show doesn’t feature any form of video design despite its focus on vlogging and social media obsession. The absence of video, however, is a clever move that enhances the characters’ vulnerability as they flirt with the digital offerings, making their musings all the more relatable.

Ofori’s script is fresh, featuring fun dialogues that boldly explore the ultimate meaning of hard work in a society where popularity reigns as the current currency, and social media is the ultimate arena. It cleverly references entertainment-driven content on various social media platforms without alienating those who might be less familiar with current trends.

Ultimately, FLIP! is a timely and sharp conversation about the AI implications in social media culture. The play dissects the concept of fame in a social system that prioritises popularity and entertainment over hard work and activism, and it ventures into a dystopian realm where individuals may become disposable in favour of their online personas. FLIP! brims with energy, offering both an
amusing night out and thought-provoking insights, and challenging us to confront the Pandora’s box opened by our increasing engagement with AI tools.

FLIP! runs through 25 November.

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