The Truth Teller's Club

The Truth Tellers Club – Preston Playhouse

An ambitious and thought-provoking new work that explored truth, trust and artificial intelligence, even if some elements remained deliberately ambiguous.

As part of Preston Playhouse's evening of one-act plays raising funds for the theatre, audiences were treated to *The Truth Tellers Club*, an original piece written and directed by Maria Adamson.

At its heart, the play explores themes of truth, trust and the increasing role of artificial intelligence in our lives. A group of strangers are brought together by author Verity Mendacio, whose book on truth inspires the formation of the "Truth Tellers Club". However, it soon becomes clear that every member of the group has secrets of their own and that not everyone is quite as honest as they claim to be.

What I enjoyed most about the production was the concept itself. In a world where information spreads almost instantly and AI is becoming part of everyday life, the subject matter felt relevant and timely. The play asks some interesting questions about honesty, accountability and whether the truth should always come first, even when the consequences may be damaging.

One of the more interesting aspects of the production was its use of technology. Screens, projections and digital elements were used throughout to support the storytelling. Whilst not every element was fully explained, it was refreshing to see a community theatre production experimenting with different forms of stagecraft rather than relying solely on traditional methods.

The cast delivered committed performances throughout. Elliot Day's Ash Bartlett proved to be a key figure in the story, particularly as the plot unfolded towards its conclusion. Melanie Murphy brought an eccentric, free-spirited energy to Verity Mendacio, whilst Neil Harwood's Tim Ryman offered a more business-minded perspective, always eager to get straight to the point. Rachel Joyner and Carol Caine both gave assured performances, with clear diction and strong vocal projection. In fact, the entire cast should be commended for their vocal delivery, ensuring dialogue remained clear without any obvious use of microphones.

Lisa Gray took on the role of Alex Ingram, a character that appeared at first to act as a guide for the audience before developing into something closer to an AI assistant, collecting information and commenting on events as they unfolded. The performance was deliberately measured and controlled, which suited the nature of the character, although I occasionally found myself wanting a little more clarity regarding exactly how Alex fitted into the world of the play.

The production also attempted to involve the audience directly through a QR code vote, asking us to consider whether we would expose the truth or choose loyalty and trust instead. It was a clever idea and one that fitted the themes of the play well. However, I felt the results could have been incorporated more clearly into the ending, helping the audience better understand the purpose and impact of their participation.

As director, Maria Adamson clearly has a passion for the story she wanted to tell. There were moments where additional movement, interaction or even physical theatre could have strengthened the production further, particularly during sequences involving the AI character. At times the staging felt a little static and there were occasions where I wasn't entirely sure how the characters were intended to react to the digital presence that shared the stage with them.

That said, not every piece of theatre needs to provide all the answers. *The Truth Tellers Club* is a play that encourages discussion and interpretation. Whilst I occasionally found myself wanting more explanation and greater clarity in certain areas, I left the theatre thinking about the ideas it presented and discussing them with others around me. For me, that is often a sign that a piece of theatre has achieved something worthwhile.

An ambitious and thought-provoking new work, *The Truth Tellers Club* demonstrates the value of community theatre as a platform for original writing and fresh ideas. With further development, some of its strongest concepts could become even more impactful, but it certainly provided plenty for audiences to consider long after the final scene.

Finally, my thanks to everyone at Preston Playhouse an dtheir volunteers for their welcome and hospitality. Whether a production leaves you with answers or simply more questions, theatre that sparks conversation is always worthwhile, and The Truth Tellers Club certainly gave audiences plenty to discuss on the journey home.

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