Plagiary, performed by Dancenorth Australia - 17th July 2026

All images courtesy of Dancenorth Australia

Melbourne-based choreographer and director Alisdair Macindoe brings his innovative contemporary dance work Plagiary to Townsville for a limited three-night season. The production might be likened to a sophisticated and thought-provoking reimagining of Simon Says, with an AI-generated narrator delivering real-time prompts to the performers through earpieces, who must respond immediately with movement and choreography that has not been rehearsed, creating a dynamic and unpredictable performance shaped entirely in the moment.

The audience simultaneously reads these instructions projected onto a large screen. What begins with relatively straightforward directives gradually evolves into increasingly complex, absurd, amusing and, at times, seemingly impossible tasks. The result is an engaging performance built on uncertainty, where neither the dancers nor the audience can fully anticipate what will happen next.

The demands placed on the performers are extraordinary. Plagiary is as much an exercise in listening and rapid decision-making as it is a dance work. The ensemble must process instructions in real time and respond immediately, often while navigating competing demands and unexpected challenges. Their success depends not only on technical proficiency but also on adaptability, concentration, creativity and resilience.

What makes Plagiary particularly fascinating is that no two performances are ever exactly the same. While its overarching structure remains consistent, the content unfolds differently each night. The performance begins with the AI-generated prompts that initiate the improvisational framework before transitioning into a surreal interview sequence. In this section, Felix Sampson assumes the role of interviewer while Tiana Lung channels the spirit of a renowned deceased choreographer. On this occasion, it was celebrated American dance pioneer Merce Cunningham discussing his work The Upshot. As the interview unfolds, the dancers continue responding to their individual instructions, creating an intriguing layering of movement, dialogue and ideas.

Adding further texture is an immersive soundscape that shifts between soothing and unsettling tones, enhancing the atmosphere and emotional ambiguity of the piece. Brief respite comes during short breaks, when performers seize the opportunity for quick costume changes before returning to the action. Yet even these pauses contribute to the production’s relentless momentum.

At times, Plagiary can feel intentionally overwhelming. The combination of projected text, spoken dialogue, projected images, improvised movement, sound design and multiple simultaneous points of focus creates the sensation of having too many browser tabs open at once. This sensory overload appears central to the work’s purpose. In an age increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, algorithms and constant streams of information, Plagiary mirrors the mental bombardment that characterises contemporary life.

Beneath its playful and often humorous surface lies a thought-provoking exploration of humanity’s evolving relationship with AI. The work raises questions about trust, control and collaboration, suggesting both the possibilities and the unease that accompany our growing reliance on intelligent technologies. It asks whether we should embrace AI as a creative partner or remain wary of its influence, and wisely avoids offering easy answers.

A production of this nature lives or dies on the strength of its performers, and the ensemble delivers admirably. In addition to Sampson and Lung, Sabine Crompton-Ward, Aleeya McFadyen-Rew, Jag Popham, Michael Smith, Bella Hood and Alec J. Katsourakis demonstrate remarkable versatility and commitment throughout, responding to each challenge with skill, humour and unwavering professionalism.

Provocative, unpredictable and unlike anything else on the local arts calendar, Plagiary is a compelling contemporary dance experience that leaves audiences questioning not only what they have witnessed, but also how creativity itself may evolve in an AI-driven future.