Document Type

Article

Publication Title

MRS Journal of Arts, Humanities and Literature

Abstract

This article examines the convergence of creative authorship, adaptation, and generative artificial intelligence within contemporary theatre, taking Michael Harding‘s Awake, Young King as a central case study. Through the rewriting of Shakespearean drama, Harding‘s creative process demonstrates how theatrical meaning emerges through ongoing negotiation among playwright, performer, and audience, with scripts historically subject to revision, improvisation, and reinterpretation. Concerns regarding copyright, intellectual property, and the role of AI in the performing arts are reframed as extensions of enduring debates over originality and authorship, rather than novel threats. Tracing the evolution from The Rise of James VI to Awake, Young King, the article reveals that both human playwrights and large language models employ adaptive recombination of existing material, challenging strict divisions between human and computational creativity. Within the wider context of technological mediation already prevalent in theatre—from digital tools for rehearsal and feedback to automation in set and sound design—the presence of generative AI reflects an intensification of established creative methodologies, rather than a disruptive break. In light of the widespread closure of regional theatres and shifting audience expectations, the discussion advances the view that collaborative engagement with generative AI provides practical strategies for sustaining theatrical practice while also opening critical perspectives on adaptation, authorship, and relevance for emerging generations in the field.

Publication Date

7-2025

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

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