INTERVIEW: Olga Ravn’s sci-fi novel jumps to the stage in new adaptation
Photo: Chris McLinden and Molly Leland star in The Employees at Theaterlab. Photo courtesy of The Mill / Provided by Kamila Slawinski PR with permission.
In Olga Ravn’s sci-fi novel The Employees, the time period is the 22nd century, and — shocker! — things are not going well on planet Earth. In fact, they’ve gotten so bad that humankind is in search of a new home, according to press notes. A team of human and humanoids does find a candidate to start anew; it’s called New Discovery, but they are distracted when finding some strange artifacts that may impact their understanding of this new home and even themselves.
Ravn’s book has now been adapted by Lauren Holmes and Jaclyn Biskup into a new play, which will receive its world premiere this month in New York City, courtesy of The Mill and Theaterlab. Performances begin tomorrow, June 13, and continue until June 30.
This has been a passion project for Biskup, who also directs the show. Her work in multiple media is extensive. She’s currently the associate artistic director of The Brick, according to her biography, and she received an Emmy nomination for the digital series The Secret Life of Muslims. Her Broadway credits as assistant director consist of The Minutes and Straight White Men. Also, she knows The Mill well because she’s the founding artistic director.
Recently Biskup exchanged emails with Hollywood Soapbox and opened up about her feelings on the 22nd century and where this planet is headed. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can audience members expect from this new show?
At its heart, The Employees is a tension-filled sci-fi fantasy set in space. It’s the 22nd century, and the human and humanoid crew on board the Six-Thousand Ship are on a mission in search of a new home. When the ship takes on a number of strange objects from the planet New Discovery, the crew becomes strangely and deeply attached to them, even as tensions boil toward mutiny. It’s an intimate and immersive adaptation, designed to make the audience feel like they are a part of the action on board Six-Thousand Ship. The play dives deep into questions: What is humanity? What does it mean to be living, in the broadest sense? What happens when you exist solely for work and come to reject that notion? Even though it is set in the future, The Employees deals with themes currently in the zeitgeist — AI, the climate crisis, late-stage capitalism, colonization, and the exploitation of workers and natural resources.
How did you first find this sci-fi novel?
I’m a voracious reader and get a lot of my book recommendations from The New Yorker. Not very original, but a great place to read short descriptions of books to figure out what I might want to read next. I’ll read mostly new fiction written by women that is suggested there.
What was the adaptation process like with Lauren Holmes?
It’s been so much fun. Lauren is a dream to work with. Her input was absolutely pivotal in creating this adaptation; I could not have done it without her. The novel isn’t very long, but I did want to edit the text down to a 90-minute version for this performance. I relied heavily on Lauren to make these cuts. We made some hard choices about what had to be cut, but at the end of the day, I’m very pleased with where we landed. I feel we’ve been very faithful to the original but have created something that can exist in a really exciting form on stage. The rest of the adaptation process is happening in the rehearsal room. The process is sort of a hybrid of a traditional new play process and a devised theater process.
At first, did the book feel un-adaptable because of its unique take on the future?
I think the book’s take on the future is what made it prime for adaptation! Like most great writers, Olga Ravn was ahead of the curve when this book came out in 2022. We are in a moment where we are just beginning to see AI tech be a part of everyday life. In Ravn’s vision of the future, she imagines a world where AI, climate crisis and late-stage capitalism create a reality that seems like a logical extension of our present moment. Ravn’s take is completely unique. The future conflict she imagines isn’t human vs. robot, but employer vs. employee.
Where do you think humanity will be in the 22nd century?
Honestly, I try not to think about it. I’m too terrified of my own mortality. I’m more interested in what it means to be alive now, and what and how we should exist in our own present moment. [Imagining] a world through a futuristic lens is just another way to reevaluate our future moment.
How has your time at The Brick been? It’s a legendary institution that you are leading.
It has been incredibly rewarding. After New Ohio, where I was working as a creative producer, closed I was really lucky to move to another theater aligned with my values! The Brick is known for its commitment to avant-garde and experimental theater, and being a part of leading such an institution is both an honor and a challenge. It has provided me with the opportunity to support emerging artists who are exploring new forms of storytelling. The sense of community and the passion for innovation at The Brick are truly inspiring. I’m looking forward to directing a show there this fall. It will be another adaptation of a book, Lucky Breaks, by Ukrainian author Yevgenia Belorusets.
When did you make the move from the Chicago theater scene to New York City?
I made the move from Chicago to New York City 13 years ago. Chicago is my hometown and has an incredible theatre scene. I loved living there and had no plans to leave … until one day I did! From the basements and storefronts of Chicago to the basements and storefronts of NYC. That’s the best way to describe my career. But, more seriously, I’ve had the privilege of working both on Broadway and in NYC’s incredible downtown scene. [The] scope of what happens here in theatre is amazing. There’s no other place like it.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
The Employees begins performances tomorrow, June 13, and continues until June 30 at Theaterlab on West 36th Street in New York City. Click here for more information and tickets.
