“Maybe Happy Ending” is proof that love knows no boundaries – The Hofstra Chronicle

SPOILER ALERT

Can a robot fall in love? It couldn’t really be possible, could it? “Maybe Happy Ending” suggests otherwise. The musical recently hit Broadway on November 12th at the Belasco Theater in New York City, New York. It stars “Glee” actor Darren Criss as a helper bot named Oliver and Broadway actress Helen J. Shen as a helper bot named Claire.

The play lasts about two hours and consists of two acts: Act 1 is called “The Ending” and Act 2 is called “The Happy End”. “Maybe Happy Ending” shines in its presentation. Stage changes occur smoothly as two small sliding rooms are used that move in and out of the stage during scenes. Creators Will Aronson and Hue Park used screens and projectors for more technical scenes such as flashbacks and turntable sequences. The music portrays the emotions perfectly, conveying both comedic and serious tones; It’s a show that has to be experienced.

The musical is set not too far in the future, as artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming increasingly popular and rapidly evolving. The musical brings a few years of progress to the AI ​​world, where using “helperbots” has now become commonplace. The Helperbots clean, cook and do their homework – it’s even noted that there are up to seven new and improved Helperbot models. Oliver is a model three Helperbot and Claire is a model five Helperbot. Both models are considered obsolete, but their respective owners did not retire them for this reason. As revealed in the second act, it appears that both Oliver and Claire’s owners had their personal, rather than superficial, reasons for retiring their beloved robots. Now the two Helperbots live alone in retirement for other outdated robots.

Oliver seems content with just his old records and his monthly collection of jazz magazines. He waits for his owner to come and get him, which he promised Oliver. He waits for years until one day there is a longing knock on his door. He answers reluctantly and a worried Claire bursts through the door. She asks to borrow Oliver’s charger because her battery is low and doesn’t have a charger that fits her model. A pure and unlikely friendship develops between the two Helperbots when they make a pact that allows Claire to use Oliver’s charger. Claire finally convinces Oliver to go find his owner instead of waiting for him. They travel to the island where Oliver’s owner lives. As their journey progresses, their relationship seems to evolve from just friendship to something more romantic.

So the question arises: Can a robot fall in love? Why shouldn’t it be possible? “Maybe Happy Ending” shows the love story of two robots in a creative and original way. The musical also leaves questions. Does technology have the capacity for qualia? Can a helperbot experience emotions, know what it feels and express it? In the second act, Oliver and Claire realize that they may not be able to spend as much time together anymore as their mechanical parts begin to atrophy. They fear the thought of losing each other.

Aronson and Park bring human qualities to two very non-human beings. People feel love for each other and are afraid of losing each other. Why shouldn’t a robot do the same? A heart and a hard drive are different, yes. However, is a hard drive better or worse at experiencing love or knowing what love is?