You won't find what you want. It can't ever be real will, real desire; it'll only ever be a simulation.

In 1920, playwright Karel Capek imagined a world of A.I. and rebellion, inspiring and influencing a century of sci-fi cinema. 100 years later, Headlong reawakens his visionary play R.U.R. as ROBOTA – high-voltage theatre for the age of artificial intelligence.

In a not-too-distant future the Rossum Corporation has done the impossible: created machines indistinguishable from humans. Built to serve, programmed to obey and ready to be rolled out worldwide.
But when idealistic activist Helen gets involved, these perfect workers begin to dream of freedom and the system starts to glitch. As the line between human and machine blurs, how do we hold on to our humanity?
Blending origin story with sci-fi, myth with machine, this is a smart, timely and often funny look at what it means to truly be alive.

This edition was published to coincide with the Headlong and Schwarzman Centre Production in July 2026.

Ella Road is a writer and actor from London, working across stage, screen and audio. Her first play 'The Phlebotomist' was produced by Hampstead Theatre Downstairs in 2018 before transferring to the Main Stage in 2019. It was nominated for an Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate theatre, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize. Her second play 'Fair Play' was produced by Bush Theatre in association with Sonia Friedman Productions, and opened in 2021/22 to critical acclaim. Ella has new plays in the works for Almeida Theatre and Hampstead Theatre, and an upcoming attachment at the National Theatre.
Ella was a Soho Theatre Young Writer, a Bush Theatre 'Emerging Writer', and a selectee for the BBC Drama Writers Programme.