City Lit Theater’s ‘R.U.R.’ Is A Robotic Lesson For The Ages

R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) is a funny and cautionary tale about what could happen if robots began thinking for themselves. With the world premiere playing at City Lit Theater, all may not be well that ends well.

In this day and age, we are used to automation. We have assembly lines that are primarily made out of machines, we use self-checkout registers at the grocery store, and we are starting to adapt to AI being everywhere. Assistance with our daily needs is something we’ve become accustomed to.

In 1920, Czech writer Karel Čapek wrote the play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) in which he foresaw a future similar to our own, but with huge costs. And in viewing the new production – and world premiere – at City Lit Theater, it provides an enormous cautionary tale for our times.

R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) is about a world in which robots exist, but in shiny, non-moving, non-human forms. There is an increase in conversation about all of the things that robots could take over doing for humans, and, in this capacity, Helena (the president’s daughter and a robots rights activist) goes to visit Harry Rossum (a robot creator) at his island sanctuary. While there, Helena is introduced to several humanoid robots, including tough Sulla, who she becomes entranced by.

After reading a proclamation against the use of robots, Helena ultimately changes her mind and engages in a quickie marriage with Harry. With the proclamation torn up and discarded, but the humanoid robots seemingly improving themselves and growing, Helena’s written words take on a life of their own.

The first thing that struck me about this production was the creativity in costuming. All of the humanoid robots wore uniforms that were entirely or in part made out of pleather/plastic materials, while the humans were in soft cottons, natural materials, suspenders, or flowy dresses. It was easy to see who was who, and the robots could easily be 1 of a set of 15 if the number on their chest changed. One outfit even had a full control panel that could be opened to expose their wires, switches, and motherboard.

Performers in this show were dynamic, and there were some very funny moments surrounding specific character quirks and situations. At one point, Bryan Breau’s Harry holds his breath while waiting for an answer to a question. I am sure that the entire audience was with me in watching his face slowly turn from flesh-colored to red to purple. I am still wondering how often he practices that so he doesn’t become too light-headed on stage.

Because this play was written 100 years ago, there are some moments in the script that don’t feel as natural. There is a small section in a wedding suite that feels a little odd, as well as a few moments of sexual innuendo that don’t seem to click. But the actors carry the sections as well as any of the others, and a script is a script, so you perform the script.

What this production does bring to the forefront, however, is a conversation around what we as a society are doing with our future. According to the play, “robota” means “drudgery” or “servitude” in Czech. Essentially, it means slavery. Are we enslaving these beings who are created for one single thing, or will they also have the opportunity to grow and evolve into new beings as we have? Is it our responsibility to stop that growth because of the consequences that may affect humans, or is that killing a sentient being? Are they sentient beings?

R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) is a cautionary tale and warning about what could happen if we are not careful and responsible with our creations – robots, AI, or anything else. It is also funny, creative, and thought-provoking. Check it out, it’ll make you think.

R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) runs for approximately 2 hours 5 minutes including a 10-minute intermission. It is suitable for all ages.

City Lit Theater: R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) Review – R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots) is playing at the City Lit Theater through 6/15/2025. Tickets can be purchased through the City Lit Theater website. City Lit Theater is located at 1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave. Chicago, Il 60660 (Inside Edgewater Presbyterian Church).