Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon

by Deborah Yarchun

ATLAS, THE LONELY GIBBON is a dark comedic thriller set in the future. Irene, a 28-year-old journalist, has recently had her job downgraded to editing AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated articles. Her husband, David, is a cybercrime journalist, a niche that has kept him employed in a dying journalism field. Irene becomes alienated by technologies he introduces into their home for work that possess a sometimes...

ATLAS, THE LONELY GIBBON is a dark comedic thriller set in the future. Irene, a 28-year-old journalist, has recently had her job downgraded to editing AI (Artificial Intelligence)-generated articles. Her husband, David, is a cybercrime journalist, a niche that has kept him employed in a dying journalism field. Irene becomes alienated by technologies he introduces into their home for work that possess a sometimes comforting, but creepy and increasingly dangerous presence. Because of David’s job, their apartment is targeted by hackers and their everyday household appliances (all connected to the internet) have been turning on them. This is particularly challenging for Irene, because she now works from home. To cope with her challenging marriage and increasingly threatening space, Irene fixates on a VR (virtual reality) show about an isolated ape at a monkey sanctuary. David introduces a set of lifelike bionic arms into their home and Irene’s world is shaken when the arms take on a life of their own; instead of calling her husband, she begins a new type of relationship. ATLAS, THE LONELY GIBBON explores where we’re heading as a society and the complex benefits and destructive possibilities of a fully wired world.

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Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon

Recommended by

  • Sheri Miller: Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon by Deborah Yarchun
    “

    I'm a fan of Deborah Yarchun. I binge-read everything of hers that's on NPX. This play is absolutely of the moment and so relevant to our lives. Deborah deftly juxtaposes our love of technology with our crushing fear of it. Hers is a world where technology progresses faster than we mere mortals can control...where the cyber-world often seems more real than our own. Atlas is an off-kilter domestic thriller that is all the more terrifying because it's horror is not beyond the realm of possibility.

    I'm a fan of Deborah Yarchun. I binge-read everything of hers that's on NPX. This play is absolutely of the moment and so relevant to our lives. Deborah deftly juxtaposes our love of technology with our crushing fear of it. Hers is a world where technology progresses faster than we mere mortals can control...where the cyber-world often seems more real than our own. Atlas is an off-kilter domestic thriller that is all the more terrifying because it's horror is not beyond the realm of possibility.

    ”
  • Christian Flynn: Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon by Deborah Yarchun
    “

    A hilarious, tense, cringe-inducing thriller — and I don't take genre theatre lightly. Sci Fi in that it takes place, like, five years from now. The internet of things – not things-in-themself, things in your fucking house. A great play. And boy, does it have robofucking. Atona's monologue is one of my favorite pieces of writing I've found this year. And right before, some good advice for these upcoming times. "Whenever you want guidance, forget it."

    Good luck everybody.

    A hilarious, tense, cringe-inducing thriller — and I don't take genre theatre lightly. Sci Fi in that it takes place, like, five years from now. The internet of things – not things-in-themself, things in your fucking house. A great play. And boy, does it have robofucking. Atona's monologue is one of my favorite pieces of writing I've found this year. And right before, some good advice for these upcoming times. "Whenever you want guidance, forget it."

    Good luck everybody.

    ”
  • David Templeton: Atlas, the Lonely Gibbon by Deborah Yarchun
    “

    One of those plays I read through in one sitting, then started over again to see how it reads once you know everything that's actually going on. And the second experience is as entertaining, intense and funny as the first. As a working journalist and a playwright myself, I can say that Yarchun's vision of the future, while layered with genuine affection and humor to soften (some of) the blows, is frighteningly spot-on, and often feels not-so-futuristic at all.

    One of those plays I read through in one sitting, then started over again to see how it reads once you know everything that's actually going on. And the second experience is as entertaining, intense and funny as the first. As a working journalist and a playwright myself, I can say that Yarchun's vision of the future, while layered with genuine affection and humor to soften (some of) the blows, is frighteningly spot-on, and often feels not-so-futuristic at all.

    ”
View all 11 recommendations

Character Information

Characters voiced by Atona are marked with an asterisk.

*Frederick, a fridge. *Lightbulb. Colorful at times. *Fern, a fern/houseplant. The following other characters are doubled: (Atlas, a lar gibbon on a nature show streaming in VR (virtual reality); the loneliest gibbon in the world. Male. Played by the actor who plays David.)
(Siam, a lar gibbon also on a nature show streaming in VR. Female. Played by the actor who plays April/Atona.)

(Irene’s phone. A voice/pre-recorded.)

(VR Voice. Pre-recorded.)

(Documentary Voice. Most likely British. Can be played by the same actor as Man’s Voice.)

(The Arms. A set of bionic arms. Manipulated by a stagehand or the actor who plays David.)

  • Irene
    A former journalist. Now works from home editing AI-generated articles. Anxious. Trying to gain solid ground with a downgraded version of her job.
    28
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • David
    Irene’s husband. A cybercrime journalist. Gets caught in his head easily. Has a wry sense of humor.
    28
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • April
    Irene’s close friend. Starting to date again after a recent breakup. Eager and excited. A little self-involved.
    27
    Female
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Man's Voice
    30
    Male
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Male
  • Atona
    Like Alexa. The voice of just about everything in the apartment. Can be played by the actress who plays April.
    Ageless
    Female or Non-binary
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s,
      40s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Development History

  • Reading, BadMouth Theatre, 2022
  • Reading, Clamour Theatre Company, 2021
  • Reading, Walking Shadow Reader Theater, 2021
  • Reading, Centenary Stage Company, 2021
  • Residency, Marble House Project, 2021
  • Residency, HBMG Foundation, 2020

Production History

  • Professional, Spreckels Theatre Company, 2022

Awards

  • National Playwrights Conference
    O'Neill
    Finalist
    2021
  • Seven Devils Playwrights Conference
    Id Theater
    Finalist
    2021
  • Neukom Literary Arts Award for Playwriting
    Dartmouth College
    Finalist
    2021