Robot Song review | Theatre Works

Robot Song is an emotionally driven theatrical work that weaves live music, inventive design, and impressive robotics to explore childhood isolation, creativity, and the search for identity. Eleven-year-old Juniper May receives a letter signed by her entire class declaring her “the most hated person in the school.” It becomes a catalyst for her unravelling as she struggles to understand why this has happened and how she is meant to cope. Based on a true story and created by writer and director Jolyon James, the production presents a lived-in world that draws the audience into the experiences of a young person navigating a challenging moment in their life.

At the heart of the production is a striking performance from Adeline Hunter, who convincingly captures the temperament and attitude of eleven-year-old Juniper without slipping into bratty exaggeration or sugary sweetness. Her portrayal feels grounded and truthful, allowing the emotional stakes to land with quiet force, including an expressive vocal performance that transforms each moment into something personal and affecting. Phillip McInnes shares a tender and believable bond as Juniper's father, where their scenes together are filled with warmth and affection that anchor the story’s emotional core.

The robotics themselves are thoughtfully realised, clearly the result of significant time and care, and they contribute meaningfully to the audience’s understanding of Juniper’s perspective. Michelle Doyle’s live score, where piano, harp, and guitar shapes an atmosphere that moves fluidly between Juniper’s inner life and the reality around her. Moments such as the arrival of the letter from Class 6C, where live music and stage technology interact, become some of the production’s most affecting images, gently illustrating how Juniper experiences the world around her.

Where the work feels less resolved is in the simplicity of its thematic conclusions. Suggestions that school is "just a place you are before you find your proper place" risk minimising the very real difficulty of enduring bullying in the present. It implies that the problem will naturally fade with time, rather than recognising how urgent and damaging the experience can be while it is still happening.

The decision to not explicitly state that Juniper is on the Autism Spectrum broadens the story’s accessibility, allowing more viewers to see themselves in her experience. Yet it also introduces a lingering ambiguity, leaving unanswered questions about the depth and nature of her struggle and what specific challenges might be shaping her behaviour and perspective. This subtlety can be powerful, but it also means the audience is left to fill in gaps that could have added nuance and clarity to her journey.

Even with these uncertainties, Robot Song is carefully put together and shows care in its staging and performances. It offers moments of warmth and insight, and the clever robotics and live score give the production a playful energy that keeps the story engaging even when its ideas seem a little too neat.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Theatre Works, 14 Acland St, St Kilda
Season: until 21 Feb | Mon- Sat 11am, Tues - Fri 7:30pm
Duration: 60 minutes
Tickets: $48 Full | $38 Conc
Bookings: Theatre Works

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