In an Edinburgh Fringe programme heavy on shows critiquing AI, this new play by Jason Weiss boasts one of the juicier premises. We meet four disparate characters, devotees and opponents of a platform called Sanctuary, which allows users to live an idealised existence online, with all personal tragedy and frailty expunged. A glitch in the system leads to the quartet finding themselves trapped together in a liminal space between real and virtual worlds.

Toby (Adam Sinclair) is an ex-squaddie, haunted by the deaths of his mates in conflict. Ivy (Grace Serrano) is an investigative journalist, eager to gets inside the nuts and bolts of the shadowy company responsible for Sanctuary, led by Lee Rodriguez’s ruthless Miranda. Arthur (Sunkrish Bala), who built the platform to compensate for crippling shyness, has developed a certain ambivalence towards the monster he created.

A debate ensues: if we can live the dream online, what is the point of reality? And what happens when lines between the two become blurred? With strong performances from the ensemble, An Echo In The Void is tightly directed by Weiss, who creates a real sense of atmosphere despite the spare staging. While intriguing, it feels more like the pilot episode for a TV series than a Fringe show. Weiss could perhaps use some extra elbow room in which to fully explore his ideas. 

An Echo In The Void, Assembly Roxy, until 29 August, 4.40pm; picture: John Scott.