The Theatre at Bristol Seminars (TaBS) is thrilled to kick off 2025 with a roundtable discussion on the present and future of Performance Studies in the Age of AI. This conversation will feature three emerging voices in Theatre and Performance Studies, all concentrating on the impact of Artificial Intelligence in contemporary performance. They will present their forthcoming books and engage in a discussion regarding AI, its implications for Performance Studies as a discipline, and the overall transformations within theatre. 

Dr. Ester Fuoco (IULM, Milan, Italy) will share insights from her latest book, *Deviations in Contemporary Theatrical Anthropology: New Myths and Performative Rituals between XR, Robots and AI* (Routledge, 2025), a timely examination of humanity’s capacity to co-create and communicate beyond spatial and temporal boundaries, conflicts, and pandemics through artistic deviations orchestrated by machines. 

Dr. Yaron Shyldkrot (University of Leeds) will introduce his forthcoming book *Misbehaving Machines* (2026) through the paper ‘Does Eliza do Little? Texting AI,’ which investigates how text-generating AI challenges the Eliza effect—the tendency to anthropomorphize machines—by exploring two case studies: James Yu’s *things are a little crazy rn* (2021) and Adi Peled Fleisher's *I love you even if there isn’t any me* (2022). This paper reveals how these projects playfully critique AI narratives, pushing back against simplistic interpretations of technology while revealing its quirks and limitations.

Lastly, Dr. Francesco Bentivegna (University of Bristol) will initiate the conversation by presenting their forthcoming book *Voicing with Machines* (Routledge, 2026) and delivering a brief talk on the role of voice in shaping what we think about AI.

This event is open to all staff, postgraduate and undergraduate students. The roundtable will last from 3-5pm and can be attended in-person or online, please select the online ticket when booking to receive the zoom link: https://buytickets.at/universityofbristoldepartmentoftheatre/1523655