A DRAMATIC ‘first’ for Farnham Maltings sees a state-of-the-art robot take to the stage on Wednesday, March 28.

Robotics company Engineered Arts created ‘Spillikin’ to star in a romantic drama by Pipeline Theatre, which wowed audiences at the 2015 Edinburg Fringe and has been nominated for the prestigious Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award.

The production ‘Spillikin (a love story)’ now coming to Farnham is the story of Sally, a woman with Alzheimer’s, who is living with a robot companion created by her husband Raymond before he died, uploaded with his memories, to keep her company.

To create Spillikin, Pipeline Theatre collaborated with Engineered Arts, to bring one of their world-renowned ‘RoboThespians’ to the stage. Not only will Spillikin provide 80 minutes of moving drama, but he is also the main event in a post show Q&A session.

The Maltings audience will have an unique opportunity to get a close look at the extraordinary robot, which can also answer questions because he is remotely inhabited by the writer Jon Welch.

Flagging up the creative possibilities of the RoboThespian, Engineered Arts’ managing director Will Jackson said: “I’ve spent a decade designing a piano – now I want someone to write the music.”

Pipeline artistic director and designer Alan Munden said: “Making work about what you know or desire to better understand, I think lends it integrity. My mother has Alzheimer’s. I am frightened when I try to imagine her experience, but intrigued and excited to manifest it on stage, and wish I had the patience of a robot.”