The play serves as a profound meditation on what it means to be human in an age where technology can simulate our most private identities.
Marjorie Prime , a 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist by , is a hauntingly intimate play exploring the intersections of memory , artificial intelligence , and grief . Set in the near future, it follows 85-year-old Marjorie, who uses a "Prime"—a holographic AI replica of her deceased husband, Walter—to help her navigate the fog of dementia.
The Unsettling Disorientation of ‘Marjorie Prime’ - 3Views Marjorie Prime
: Deeply skeptical of the technology, viewing the Prime as a "harmful" reminder that sanitizes difficult family truths, including her brother Damien's suicide.
: The play examines the ethics of using AI to stave off the loneliness of bereavement. While Primes offer comfort to some, like Marjorie’s son-in-law Jon , they can also exacerbate grief or create "unrealistic, artificial relationships" for others, like her daughter Tess . The play serves as a profound meditation on
: A beach house in 2062, notably devoid of visible high-tech gadgets, which emphasizes the quiet, domestic nature of the sci-fi premise. Character Dynamics :
Originally premiering at the Mark Taper Forum in 2014, the play saw a notable Off-Broadway run in 2015 starring . A 2017 film adaptation starred Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, and Tim Robbins. Most recently, a 2025 Broadway revival at the Hayes Theater featured June Squibb , Cynthia Nixon , and Danny Burstein , with reviews noting that the play feels even more "prescient" and "uncanny" in the era of modern chatbots. : A beach house in 2062, notably devoid
As Tess tells her husband with sad resignation: "Science fiction is here. Every day is science fiction. We buy these things… [and] Playwrights Horizons: Marjorie Prime with Jordan Harrison