“How will you miss me when I’m gone?” What remains of a person after death? And what happens when technology becomes a means to fill that void? In Roman ＆ ELIZA, Ulrike Quade Company explores technology as a tool for grief; how artificial intelligence feeds our profound desire for human connection. The performance is inspired by the world’s first chatbot, ELIZA, and the true story of Roman Mazurenko. After Roman’s death, his partner Charly uploads messages and photos to ELIZA, resurrecting Roman’s digital presence. What follows is a charged interplay between a grieving lover and Roman’s shadow, trapped in a data center. Together they reconstruct memories to discover what has them both haunted. At a time when digital platforms are enabling ever new forms of synthetic intimacy, Roman ＆ ELIZA poses urgent questions about the future of our data. Humans yearn to feel understood, even at the expense of real understanding. Roman ＆ ELIZA visualizes how this longing takes shape in human-chatbot interaction by descending into the illusory world of digitally manipulated data. Told by the ghost, the lover, and the machine, Roman ＆ ELIZA is a journey through the many fragmented dimensions that give life to our deepest desires. concept, direction Ulrike Quade performer Vanja Rukavina digital performers Hadewych Minis, Anneke Sluiters dramaturgy Maaike Bleeker assistant dramaturg Sorcha Ní Bhraonáin assistant director Anne van Dorp text contribution Maaike Bergstra sound design Farzaneh Nouri lighting design Floriaan Ganzevoort costumes Marlou Breuls technical production Mark Thewessen unreal design Nathan Marcus video content Anouk Steenbakkers photo content Eddy Wenting technician Frank Doornbos, Jornt Jan Bras production Vincent Hoffman with the support of the Municipality of Amsterdam (AFK) ＆ Creative Industries Fund NL
