Performance reimagines human-machine collaboration

"Que la machine vive en moi" is an experimental performance that combines art and artificial intelligence to create a unique experience each night. The show involves four transgender individuals working with machines to produce a film and its soundtrack in real time, showcasing the evolving relationship between humans and technology.

Stage filled with technology and creativity

On stage, machines, cables, robots, and computers form the backdrop for the performance. The four transgender participants—a musician, a roboticist, a writer, and an AI—collaborate to create a film and its music, with their progress displayed on screens for the audience to follow and comment on.

Exploring human and non-human relationships

Between the three scenes of the film, the group engages in discussions and performances that explore themes such as the relationships between humans and non-humans, societal norms, and the enhancement of bodies through biochemical, neurological, or mechanical means. The performance is described as sensory, joyful, and humorous.

Cyberfeminist and queer artistic vision

The performance, created by the Groupe Scalpel, is rooted in a cyberfeminist and queer perspective. It critically examines artificial intelligence, questioning how it can be used, avoided, or dismantled. The show aims to provoke thought and discussion about the role of AI in society.

Credits and collaborators

Que la machine vive en moi is written and performed by Romane Nicolas, with robotic performance by Cla Boyriven, dramaturgy and performance by Élio Jacquel, and sound and video engineering by Arthur Vervier-Dasque. The production team includes Héloïse Gaubert, Delphine Guérin, Cléo Bourguignon-Bertheuil, and Margaux Gaches.

Production and co-production details

The performance is produced by Groupe Scalpel and co-produced by Théâtre Sorano in Toulouse and Le Tracteur in Cintegabelle, Haute-Garonne. It has been supported by several institutions, including Le Quai des Savoirs in Toulouse, the Festival Démostratif in Strasbourg, and the La Chartreuse CNES in Villeneuve-lès-Avignon.

Festival appearances and awards

A version of the show was presented at the Fragments #12 festival in Paris and received the Occitanie Book and Reading Award. The performance will run from December 12 to 13, 2026, at the Jeune Théâtre National in Paris 04, with a duration of one hour and thirty minutes.