Emma McQuillan is bringing A Companion to The Glitch 134 Lower Marsh, Waterloo SE1 7AE, this year as part of the Lambeth Fringe. Read more about it below.

What was the inspiration behind your show?

I am interested in writing comedy, and therefore look for characters with that will lend themselves to this genre. Typically this means there is something unique or unusual about them that I can exploit for comic potential. In addition, a mismatch or some kind of dislocation gives us fuel for the laughs. The rise in the abilities of AI to interact with people in a conversational manner and in particular the sycophantic personality assigned to these AIs by their creators lead me to write this piece.  

 How long has your production been in progress? 

About 6 months.  

Where are planning on taking the play next? 

To infinity and beyond of course. Or maybe to Edinburgh if we can find a flat.

What would you like audiences to take away from your show? 

Most of all I would like them to feel entertained, that they had a good evening. I hope that they see something in the play that resonates with their experience of being a human in a world that is increasingly controlled by machines.

What are you looking forward to most about performing your show? 

I love to get a good reaction to the jokes. Hearing an audience laugh at a line or situation you have created is a fabulous feeling.  

Why did you choose your particular Fringe venue? 

We were offered The Glitch and we thought it looked like a really great place to perform so it was a big “yes please” from us.  

Which shows at the Fringe are you planning on watching? 

Well it’s hard to choose isn’t it? But we met some of the other shows at the Launch Party recently and we thought Magic Alan and Sunk Into the Earth both sounded like great shows.  

Have you had any major hurdles to overcome to get this production on the stage? 

Ironically the only issues we have had, have been with the technology! Well that’s life imitating art for you. Otherwise, everyone else has been 150% on board with the production since the get go.

What other productions have you previously been involved with?

In 2023 we took a production called Uisge to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. “Uisge” is a Scottish Gaelic word meaning “water” and the origin of the word “whisky” as in the water of life. It was a mystery about an historic but unexplained death and set on the absolutely beautiful West Coast of Scotland. It was a nice little show but honestly I think it would amazing as a film. One day Uisge might make a reappearance – watch this space!

https://lambethfringe.com/events/a-companion

@ichigotheatrecompany