Before ChatGPT, there was Eliza

Key points

• Melbourne Theatre Company’s Eliza explores the creation of one of the world’s first psychotherapy chatbots in the 1960s. The play, now showing at Southbank Theatre, examines themes of innovation, trust, and the human tendency to form emotional connections with technology.
• Actor Manali Datar, who plays Becky, highlights the play’s relevance to contemporary issues of loneliness and the role of AI in society.
• The production uses lighting, sound, and set design to reflect the psychological thriller’s themes.