A review of Alan Ayckbourn's new play, The Trial of Romeo Oscar, at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, describes a science-fiction courtroom drama set in 2194 in which an android is put on trial for the murder of a teenage girl in its care. It marks the prolific playwright's 92nd work and sees him revisit his long-standing fascination with humanity's future, using the trial format to probe questions about whether robots can harm people, whether they possess souls, and what value art holds in such a world.

The three-hour production splits into two acts, the first establishing the trial and the second unfolding in the courtroom itself, where the android RSDO83 stands accused as the first robot ever to kill a human. Its name plays on Romeo and Juliet, since RSDO83 raised the victim, Juliet, and the pair once acted out Shakespeare together, raising the question of whether their play-acting led to real tragedy; Olivia Woolhouse, appearing in her third SJT production, plays Hermione Quinque, brought in to portray Juliet in court. The reviewer finds the sprawling array of ideas impossible to fully resolve, but notes the production retains Ayckbourn's trademark mix of humour and food for thought. It runs at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, until 3 October.