A HAMPSTEAD THEATRE WORLD PREMIERE

ANTHROPOLOGY

By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Anna Ledwich

Running time: 1 hour, 40 minutes without an interval

I built you because this is what I do. It’s my job. These are my tools, I used them, and honestly it’s not that hard – you’re basically a chatbot.

Main Stage

7 Sep - 14 Oct 2023

Box Office: 020 7722 9301

Details

‘An intriguing, inventive new play… fizzingly intelligent’ The Times 
‘No chatbot could surely ever write anything as original and compelling' The Guardian
‘A highly original, beautifully written piece’
Daily Mail
‘An atmospheric and philosophically resonant piece’ The Telegraph
‘Acidly funny’ Evening Standard
‘A sleek, well-acted production’ The Upcoming
‘Grippingly watchable’ London Theatre

                                                                                                                                                               

Merril is one of Silicon Valley’s leading software engineers, but her life disintegrates when her younger sister Angie vanishes on her way home from college.  A year later, when the police have long abandoned their search, Merril assembles all the digital material Angie has left behind and sets about building herself a digital simulation of her sister.  The resultant ‘virtual Angie’ offers her some solace – until, that is, it starts to reveal new details about the real Angie's disappearance…

San Francisco-based Lauren Gunderson is one of the world’s most produced playwrights; her I and You was a huge success at Hampstead in 2018.  Author of over 20 plays, Lauren has also received the Lanford Wilson Award at the Dramatists Guild Awards and two Steinberg/ATCA New Play Awards. 

anthropology is the twelfth play that Anna Ledwich has directed for Hampstead, where her work has ranged from Labyrinth to the Olivier nominated productions of Dry Powder and Four Minutes Twelve Seconds.

MyAnna Buring (Twilight: Breaking DawnThe WitcherDownton AbbeyRipper StreetA Very Expensive Poison, Old Vic; The Wasp, Hampstead Theatre) plays Merril. She is joined by Dakota Blue Richards (The Golden CompassSkinsArcadia, English Touring Theatre), Yolanda Kettle (Patriots, Almeida; Deep Blue Sea, National Theatre and Eden, Hampstead Theatre) and Abigail Thaw (Endeavour and The Strange Death of John Doe, Hampstead Theatre).

 

Cast

Artistic team

WRITER

LAUREN GUNDERSON

DIRECTOR

ANNA LEDWICH

DESIGNER

GEORGIA LOWE

LIGHTING DESIGNER

JAMES WHITESIDE

COMPOSER AND SOUND DESIGNER

MAX PAPPENHEIM

VIDEO DESIGNER

DANIEL DENTON

mOVEMENT AND INTIMACY DIRECTOR

SARA GREEN

CASTING DIRECTOR

GABRIELLE DAWES

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

MARLIE HACO

 

COMPANY STAGE MANAGER

BENJAMIN SMITH

DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER

JULIA CRAMMER

ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER

ROMA RADFORD

 

Cast

News

LISTEN TO LAUREN GUNDERSON ON BBC RADIO 4’S START THE WEEK

Posted on 29 September 2023

Playwright Lauren Gunderson spoke to BBC Radio 4 Start The Week’s about interrogating our relationship with Artificial Intelligence in her new play anthropology, which opened on the Main Stage on 7 September.

A CUP OF TEA WITH EWAN MILLER

Posted on 29 September 2023

We caught up with actor Ewan Miller to talk acting highlights, dream roles, and Octopolis, which runs Downstairs until 28 October.

NINETEEN GARDENS CASTING ANNOUNCED

Posted on 28 September 2023

Magdalena Miecznicka is set to make her playwriting debut at Hampstead Theatre with Nineteen Gardens, an intimate two-hander directed by Alice Hamilton and starring Olivia Le Andersen and David Sturzaker.

PLAQUE HONOURING THE FOUNDER OF HAMPSTEAD THEATRE UNVEILED

Posted on 20 September 2023

A plaque honouring the inspirational founder of Hampstead Theatre has been unveiled at the theatre in north London.

COMPETITION: WIN TWO AND A PAIR OF TICKETS FOR TO HAVE TO HOLD

Posted on 5 September 2023

Coming to see anthropology? You can be in with a chance to win tickets to our next Main Stage show

LAUREN GUNDERSON INTERVIEWED BY BROADWAY WORLD

Posted on 31 August 2023

Alexander Cohen interviews Anthropology writer Lauren Gunderson who asks pressing questions about AI in her new sci-fi thriller at Hampstead Theatre

HAMPSTEAD THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL SEASON OF EIGHT NEW PRODUCTIONS

Posted on 18 May 2023

Hampstead Theatre today announces a full season of eight new productions beginning on 7 September 2023 and running until 16 March 2024.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH INTERVIEWS GREG RIPLEY-DUGGAN

Posted on 18 May 2023

When funding was withdrawn, all seemed lost for the off-West End venue – but now star names are stepping in to save it.

Tickets

Previews

Full Price: £25/£35/£45 

Under 30s/Students: £10 

Access ½ price 

Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free 

*Ages 60+ 

 

Monday – Saturday 

Full price: £35/£45/£55  

Under 30s/Students: £10 

Access ½ price 

Seniors*: (matinees only): £26/£36/£46

Groups: For every 9 tickets get the 10th free 

 

All prices are subject to change. Book early for the best price. 

Content Warnings

CONTENT WARNINGS - anthropology

This production contains strong language and haze.

References to death, domestic abuse, substance abuse and suicide.

Please note that our content warnings evolve as the production does throughout rehearsal and previews, so there may be changes made between booking and attending the theatre. If you would like to speak to a member of our team about specific themes or concerns, please call the Box Office on 020 7722 9301 or email boxoffice@hampsteadtheatre.com

Video and Image Gallery

LAUREN GUNDERSON Photo by The Other Richard LAUREN GUNDERSONPhoto by The Other Richard
ANNA LEDWICH & LAUREN GUNDERSON Photo by The Other Richard ANNA LEDWICH & LAUREN GUNDERSONPhoto by The Other Richard
ANNA LEDWICH Photo by The Other Richard ANNA LEDWICHPhoto by The Other Richard
LAUREN GUNDERSON Photo by The Other Richard LAUREN GUNDERSONPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAWPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING & YOLANDA KETTLE Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURING & YOLANDA KETTLEPhoto by The Other Richard
DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS Photo by The Other Richard DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDSPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW & MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAW & MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
YOLANDA KETTLE Photo by The Other Richard YOLANDA KETTLEPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAW & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDSPhoto by The Other Richard
YOLANDA KETTLE Photo by The Other Richard YOLANDA KETTLEPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS Photo by The Other Richard DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDSPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAWPhoto by The Other Richard
MARLIE HACO & ANNA LEDWICH Photo by The Other Richard MARLIE HACO & ANNA LEDWICHPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURING & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDSPhoto by The Other Richard
YOLANDA KETTLE & MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard YOLANDA KETTLE & MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
YOLANDA KETTLE & MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard YOLANDA KETTLE & MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDS Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAW & DAKOTA BLUE RICHARDSPhoto by The Other Richard
YOLANDA KETTLE Photo by The Other Richard YOLANDA KETTLEPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
MYANNA BURING Photo by The Other Richard MYANNA BURINGPhoto by The Other Richard
ABIGAIL THAW Photo by The Other Richard ABIGAIL THAWPhoto by The Other Richard