When bereaved widow Eleanor is introduced to an AI replica of her husband Harold by her carer Mia, she is initially won over. However, as past realities clash with the idealised nature of the AI, she becomes conflicted.

Asad Kerr’s script skilfully balances comedy with emotional drama about replacing a loved one with an AI replication. The initial dialogue between Eleanor and Mia leans more toward the broadly comedic, especially when Mia’s AI boyfriend comes into play. However, it’s the scenes between Eleanor and the AI Harold where the tone becomes more varied and the main focus of the narrative emerges. Their initial interactions promise to recreate their relationship as it was, with Harold’s love of cricket and memories of dates together being touchingly evoked.

Kerr handles the transitions to darker material well, with Eleanor questioning Harold’s authenticity and his preventing her leaving on a date acting as effective foreshadowing for later developments. This tonal shift is mirrored in conversations between Eleanor and Mia becoming more serious as the subject about accepting problematic elements in a partner is raised.

This point not only raises an effective argument against replacing human relationships with AI, but also foreshadows revelations about Harold and Eleanor’s relationship. This narrative twist could have easily come across as contrived, but Kerr makes it work in line with the theme of authenticity: is an idealised version of Harold better than the more complicated reality of the man and which one would Eleanor prefer?

The strength of the script is matched by the performances. Codge Crawford as Harold does a skilful job of alternating between acting like the caring husband Eleanor chooses to remember and the more robotic AI program he actually is. The later moments provide him with a chance to stretch himself dramatically with the part, convincingly depicting Harold’s regret over his revealed actions as well as playing well off Lubna Kerr‘s Eleanor during their more intense exchanges. Kerr herself makes Eleanor a fully-rounded character, with her initial lighter exchanges with Mia and Harold giving way to quietly mourning her late husband and tearful anger when she discovers his revealed secret.

A Better Memory ultimately works both in its questioning of AI as a human replacement and whether it is possible to accept a loved one’s flaws in death as well as in life.

A Better Memory is at The Green at Pleasance Courtyard until Sun 30 Aug 2026