We hold that machines designed solely for utility can be re-purposed for a very human uselessness that approaches play.

After watching social roboticist Heather Knight perform stand-up with her Nao robot “Data,” Arthur became fascinated by the possibilities of autonomous technology in live performance. In early 2014, Austin’s hybrid arts Fusebox Festival helped send Arthur to visit Heather at Carnegie Mellon University, resulting in a prototype Machine Shop show featuring Data via Skype and robots from the Austin Hackerspace.

Returning to Fusebox in 2015, Bot Party was a fully realized production featuring human performers improvising alongside robot counterparts that included “Anna,” a dynamic AI downloaded to a series of tablets, and “PUMA,” a 30-year old industrial arm repurposed to play Jenga. Blurring the lines of theatre, puppetry and magic, Bot Party is a high tech short-form improv comedy showcase that is the first of its kind.