My Own Take: Off-Broadway's 'Data'

The show: “Data” by Matthew Libby at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in the Greenwich Village section of New York City.

What makes it special?: It speaks to the moment of A-I driven surveillance.

What’s it about?: Disney Channel’s “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” alum Karan Brar plays Michael, a Gen-Z genius programmer who created when he was in college — and now owns — an algorithm that predicts how newly signed baseball players will perform during their careers.

That doesn’t sound threatening: But it’s not about baseball. The play opens Michael joining Athena Technologies, a fictional Silicon Valley software company. (BTW, Athena is the Greek goddess of both wisdom and of war)

At the highest level at the company a team, is working on a top-secret government project but Michael mysteriously prefers a lesser, less stressful department where he is mentored by Jonah (Brendon Flynn), an ambitious man of limited abilities, destined never to climb to the top ranks.

Michael runs into Riley (Sophie Lillis), a woman he knew at school who is now working on the highly classified project , who then tells her project leader and smoothie bro Alex (Justin H. Minn) about Michael’s talents — and algorithm. Alex does not see any ethical qualms in the project that others raise. Quite the opposite: “If we don’t use it, others will,” he says. “If we’re successful, in a few years, those of us in the trenches on Analytics will have the means and the power to shape things in this country for decades to come….And like all languages, its narratives will be written by the victors. So if those fluent in the language don’t help democracy flourish, we hurt it”. Kinda persuasive, no?

It works on Michael. But upon joining the team he learns the nature of the project — and the power of NDA — and faces a moral dilemma. Tensions build in the play that can best be described as a psychological techno-thriller. The black and forth mind games within the plot are echoed by ping pong playing, a metaphor write large.

How Marty Supreme: The play begins (and ends) with ping pong, first with Michael and Jonah playing while delivering pages of dialogue delineating their characters and supplying information before the plot is finally pushed forward with the arrival of Riley. (BTW: Kudos for Brar and and Flynn for managing the game and the dialogue and, oh, yes, acting, too, for a substantial amount of time without dropping the ball.

Riley is having an existential crisis of her own when — tada! — the Department of Homeland Security is involved. We understand her stress when she disturbingly quotes from Open AI CEO Sam Altman: : “AI will probably most likely lead to the end of the world, but in the meantime, there’ll be great companies.”

It all adds up for a dandy suspenseful drama but overall — despite the important topic — it feels a bit slight. Characters are thinly drawn, as if the play were an early draft. Alex seems to have some sort of a family issue. Michael has a family dynamic with his immigrant parents that is vague. Jonah turns from a doofus to something else entirely with a too-sudden turn. Riley seems to have an inner life that is compelling but isn’t revealed in much detail. We don’t know much about any of them, really. One can imagine this beiong fleshed out much more convincingly as a film.

It sure sounds in the moment: Yep, especially when Alex says data is the way to look into a person’s heart — with no sense of creepiness “Data,” the play, joins a growing list of works — and cautionary tales — dealing with run-amok technology, institutional surveillance — and worse. When used for good, it could be seen as a wonder tool. When not, uh-oh.

Do you need tech knowledge needed to enjoy the show?: You don’t need to know how to code. But it becomes clear that, as one character says, “Data is the language of our time” and it’s best to get into the lingo.

And the performances?: Brar pretty much stays on one singular, jagged nerve note. Linn is excellent in playing the tech bro with a disturbingly measured voice that can both charm and terrify. Flynn deftly shows how Joshua can play more than one game well. Lillis is terrific as someone who decides on a course of action that is unnerving. Director Tyne Rafaeli nicely ratchets up the tension and intrigue with assuredness. The cool mood is enhanced by sound and music designer Daniel Kluger , Marsha Ginsberg’s sterile setting (think “Severance” minus the corridors) and Amith Chandrashaker’s chilly lighting,

Who will like it?: Techies. Ping pong fans, Gen Z-ers.

Who won’t?: Elon Musk ands the hordse of of Silicone bros. But then again, with their arrogance, they may not care. It’s only a play.

For the kids?: Probably. They’re smarter than you when it comes to this subject.

Looking into the future?: “Data” will be a go-to for regional theaters but before it move go to larger stages the play needs more depth and expanded characters — and maybe a few more actors — if it hopes to be more than a simple techno morality drama.

Thoughts on leaving the parking lot?: Understandably, after the show I couldn’t get the deliciously insidious “Every Breath You Take” by The Police out of my head: “Every breath you take and every move you make/Every bond you break/every step you take I'll be watching you/Every single day and every word you say/Every game you play, every night you stay I'll be watching you/Oh, can't you see you belong to me?”

Info: The show is at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher St, in NYC’s Greenwich Village. The production is nexp0ected to run through March 29. The approximate running time: is 100 minutes, and performed without an intermission. Tickets start around $49–$53.50, with prices ranging up to $220.. The play features herbal cigarettes, flashing lights, and haze.