PERTH FESTIVAL: "DRAGON I" is sweet, scaly, and sentimental

It was written in fables and scripture alike that the world was once rife with horrid beasts. In rocky caves and inky seas, they dwelt, their figures etched upon parchment paper as a warning to travellers. Nowadays, it is a different breed of monster that marauds our spaces.

Dragon I, from writer/presenter Adam Kelly asks the question: is AI truly our assistance or a monster in disguise?

Kelly is a neurodivergent writer struggling to put his thoughts to page. With five Dragon-centric novels fully fleshed out in his mind and a world run rife with AI assistance promising simple solutions to writers block, Adam wonders if AI is the tool of the future, or something far sinister?

Through a mixture of theatre, animation, and audience participation, Adam explores the moral, artistic and ethical dilemmas associated with generative AI.

Part TED talk, part Terminator: Dragon I begins as a light-hearted affair as audiences help design a dragon out loud and learn the lore of Adam's unpublished novels, before the topic of AI, the use of camera tricks, and in-house effects, takes over the performance, showcasing just how monstrous and leech-like artificial "intelligence" truly is.

Adam is a wonderful performer, whose love for his Dragon interest is carried across in excitement and eagerness. Adam could talk about Dragons all day long, but unfortunately, the show runs for just one. Sharing the space is an actress, Jade, who jumps between parts and doubles as an artificial assistant with eery skillmanship.

Dragon I is a sweet, sentimental, and lovingly hand-crafted. It's a show full of fun art, creative voices, and a genuine adoration for everyone's favourite mythological creature.