Faults in artificial intelligence spotlighted at One Act Play Festival
Published on 31 March 2025
Winter Blues and Beat the Truth are just a few of the entertaining plays that will take to the stage next month as part of an arts festival.
The Lake Macquarie One Act Play Festival, held at Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba over two sessions on Saturday 5 April, will showcase short, sharp and original plays that each last less than 30 minutes.
Lake Macquarie City Council Manager Arts Culture and Tourism Jacqui Hemsley said the competition would feature 14 short plays in total.
“The festival aims to bring together local, state and national playwrights and performers to develop and strengthen the skills and experience of performing artists in Lake Mac,” she said.
“Each play is unique and explores a contemporary theme.”
One Act Play Director Charlotte De Wit, who is also an actor and producer, said she was thrilled to be taking part in the festival for the second time.
“This year we've attracted more playwrights from across the country, with artists travelling from Sydney, Nambucca Heads and Melbourne to present their work,” she said.
“It’s a great chance for playwrights, actors and directors to test new work and share exciting stories with an engaged audience.”
“If you love live theatre, this is a great way to support local and emerging artists.”
Actor Sallyanne Scotton Moonga is among the local creatives set to feature at the festival, starring as an AI supporter in the play Deadline (or, Disaster It Wrote).
“The play is a comedy about two writers on a deadline, who turn to AI to write the play for them,” she said.
“As they attempt to get the computer to produce something with artistic integrity, the play morphs erratically between genres in unexpected and hilarious ways.”
“On a superficial level, what AI can write looks legitimate, but it doesn’t take much to discover the cracks in what it produces.”
The festival features a $1900 prize pool with best performance, best actor and Youth Actor Encouragement awards.
Tickets for the festival are on sale now.
The One Act Play Festival is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.
For more information head to lakemac.com.au.