Tabletop roleplaying games and speculative sci-fi have long wrestled with the concept of synthetic labour. Whether it is a sleek synthetic synth serving drinks in a dystopian cyberpunk sprawling metropolis or a rogue construct turning on its creators, automated service is one of speculative fiction’s most reliable tropes. However, as agentic AI and advanced robotics move steadily from tabletop sourcebooks into actual modern workplaces, the questions surrounding automation have shifted from distant hypothetical scenarios to immediate personal realities.
At this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, British actor, character comedian, and former professional butler Mike McAlpine takes on this exact transition in his solo comedy show, The RemAIns of the Butler. Drawing directly from his real-world background as a graduate of the prestigious Ivor Spencer Butler School, McAlpine dons the tailcoat once again to play Head Butler Michael McAlpine. Set inside Kirklevington Hall, the show follows Michael and his companion Mickey as their employer introduces a humanoid robot to the estate, forcing a traditional manservant to confront what white-glove service truly means in an age of mechanisation.
We caught up with Mike McAlpine to talk about the human nuances that algorithms cannot replicate, how his show subverts sci-fi tropes, and why an eccentric human butler will always deliver the better story.
The “The RemAIns of the Butler” Interview
You actually trained as a professional butler at the Ivor Spencer Butler School. What is the most ‘human’ element of that training that you think a humanoid robot or agentic AI could never replicate?
I think the difference in the training was truly the human aspect of it all. Mr. Spencer and his sidekick at the time, Don Weedon taught us with such care and concern for the employer’s practical needs, but also their emotional needs. Although they impressed upon us, we should not get involved in relationships with the employer emotionally, the keyword was observation but never giving them the feeling they were being observed. These two gentlemen had lived such interesting lives, that their teaching was filled with interesting anecdotes, ranging from the many royal events they had worked at to simple tasks in ordinary households. Role-playing played a major part, which encourage the human aspect. Placing oneself in a variety of situations that may arise within a household, and recognising the needs of the employer. From welcoming guests, serving at table to organising a theatre outing and ensuring their greatest comfort and smooth entrance to any event without them having to make any effort themselves. Judging the employer’s needs by observing their behaviour and emotional state, those nuances, are clearly the aspects in which the human butler is still streets ahead of their robotic counterpart.
Tabletop roleplaying games (Cyberpunk, Shadowrun) have long featured robotic servants, but they are usually portrayed as silent, emotionless utilities or rogue threats. Your show treats the humanoid robot as a threat to a butler’s identity. How does Michael’s existential crisis compare to how sci-fi usually treats automation?
I suppose my creation of the character, Mr. Jenkins, the robot, has automatically been influenced by robots I have read about or seen in film before. I bore in mind the fact that AI is potentially insidious and ultimately could present a threat to humanity. There are elements to this in Jenkins, which clearly surprise butler McAlpine and increasingly worry him. Moments where it is suggested robot Jenkins has an ability to think and react instinctively. These moments, however, are more playful in The Remains of the Butler. At one point, Jenkins suggests eradicating the threat of a drunken guest by removing him beyond the city limits and reintroducing to the ecosystem. In a swiftly mimed sequence it is clear he is suggesting the inebriated gentlemen should be punished with death and buried in a clandestine manoevre. Comical at that moment but hopefully chilling, when you really think about it. Jenkins has a cheeky aspect to him, which increases the rivalry between him and the established head Butler Mr. McAlpine. The robot’s suggestion of playing back audio recordings of a lady guest’s nighttime flatulence to the audience is subversive, but clearly the kind of comical aspect I enjoy exploring. That kind of thing titillates me. Naughty but worrying if extrapolated two largest spheres.
You are a British actor based in Germany who performs in both languages. Have you noticed a difference in how British and German audiences react to the concept of AI taking over traditional human roles?
I’m afraid I don’t have much knowledge of how British audiences react to the AI takeover. I’m hoping to glean some knowledge of that during my Edinburgh run. Edinburgh is actually my world premiere of The Remains of the Butler, so I have as yet to receive any audience reactions anywhere. However, AI is a regular conversation piece in Germany, especially among friends and colleagues. I know a number of voice artists and actors, who have clearly been hugely affected by the introduction of AI. Voice over work is something which provides good earnings compared to theatre: formerly financial backing for the creation of theatrical productions. The economic fallout of these jobs disappearing to AI are becoming very obvious as time goes by. I also worked for many years has a translator German to English. Those jobs have fallen by the wayside also due to AI. Not a career I would recommend to a young person!
Your show introduces Mickey, an ‘Under-Under Butler’. In game terms, we’d call him a classic companion character. How does his relationship with Michael shift when a literal, perfect machine enters the workplace?
Initially Mickey is excited about the prospect of a robot in the house. He is amazed at its ability, him being an innocent. Mickey takes Jenkins at face value and befriends the robot, giving him an honest insight into the workings of the household, Kirklevington Hall, their workplace. He introduces Jenkins to the children of the house and playfully instructs him, prompting knowledge regarding all kinds of historical activities and games. However, he is forced to consider the situation despite his innocence. Mr. McAlpine is his mentor and he weighs up the situation, recognizing the immense human value his boss has. This is summed up in Mickey’s Poem “ What makes a great Butler?” This is a moment of realisation which underlines the significance of the role of the servant: not subordination but, when done correctly, an observant, discreet and dignified presence, ensuring smooth operation and client satisfaction involving selflessness, and personal consideration. The suggestion is that a robot perhaps would not have the necessary human touch to react to the situations sensed in people’s body language or aura.
If a wealthy employer offered you a choice between a perfectly programmed, tireless robot butler and a deeply eccentric, slightly flawed human butler, which one makes for a better story?
The eccentric butler certainly makes for a better story, especially as in the world of comic theatre, the characters can be highly exaggerated. This of course, also applies to the role of a robot in theatre, as unexpected traits are introduced for their character too, as long as one does not stray too far from the realms of reality. It all depends on where one wants to draw the borderlines. The closer to reality the characters remain, the more potentially chilling or meaningful the action. I suppose I meander in the middle ground.
Thanks, Mike!
Whether tech-driven automation ends up replacing human roles or simply forcing a recalibration of what human labour is best suited for, The RemAIns of the Butler highlights the nuanced, emotional, and undeniably silly traits that make humans irreplaceable.
The RemAIns of the Butler runs as part of the Free Festival at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House (Attic) daily at 15:00 during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Fans of character comedy and physical performance can also catch Mike McAlpine’s evening show, A Slice of Elvis, running daily at 22:30 at the same venue. Further details and show listings are available on the Edinburgh Fringe website.
