Fact or fiction? – Society hooked to a polygraph for production
Would you take a lie detector test with a room full of strangers? And would you tell the truth? Are you up for the multi-award-winning new social experiment?
Cairns Festival presents an entertaining take on deciphering fact from fiction with Truthmachine promising a whole lot of fun with friends from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 September 2022.
Staged within the Courtroom of Court House Gallery, once the spot where many a lie was surely told, Truthmachine is an award-winning social experiment from technotrouble makers Counterpilot.
Newsport spoke with writer and director Nathan Sibthorpe about the production ‘Truthmachine’ – its inspiration and what audiences can expect.
“We were really interested in the idea of post-truth after it was declared the word of the year by the Oxford Dictionary and that’s really how the conversation started,” Mr Sibthorpe said.
“From that it led us to the idea around lie detectors which used to be legal instruments, considered scientific and used in the court of law and by law enforcement officers.
“But they have been disproven over and over but a lot of people don’t know that as they have such a mythology in our culture.
Using real biometric sensors and live voting systems, Truthmachine seeks out truth in a world of fake news and alternative facts. The polygraph machine used to be regarded as a legal instrument, but today we think we can cheat it. Let’s see if your heart rate can lie as effectively as our leaders can.
“We wanted to tell the story of the lie detector as a way of exploring truth and what matters in terms of fact and opinion.”
Part social experiment, part play, part immersive multimedia experience, it will leave you thinking long after it’s over
“The way we (Counterpilot) make theatre is always some form of social experiment – very interactive,” Sibthorpe added.
“Each show will be different every time! It is scripted and we have a performer, but the heart of the performance is a very real interrogation that uses a polygraph machine and an audience member.”
Truthmachine is the first ticketed event at the Court House, heralding its introduction into the Cairns arts, culture, and gallery collective. Shows (12 people max) run at half hour time slots from 5.45pm to 9.45pm each night between Thursday 1 and Sunday 4 September.
Sibthorpe said it would be a unique experience when adding what audiences could expect from Truthmachine.
“An intimate and adventurous experience to share with friends or strangers – where you may be challenged but is an absolute fun night out.”
To book, visit the Cairns Festival website: www.cairnsfest.com.au