Marjorie Prime is a 2014 Science Fiction play by Jordan Harrison, set 20 Minutes into the Future when people are able to communicate and program with artificiallly intelligent holograms designed to look and behave like loved ones. The play follows Marjorie, an aging woman who has recently received a "Prime" in the appearance of her husband (who had died decades before) in order to keep her company. Her daughter and son-in-law try to help her use the Prime to come to terms with her ailing health and memories.
The play was adapted into a 2017 film by Michael Almereyda with a cast that includes Lois Smith (who starred in the original stage production), Jon Hamm, Tim Robbins, and Geena Davis.
Tropes Associated With Majorie Prime Include:
- 20 Minutes into the Future: the time period of the play is never stated outright, though if you extrapolate from the dates mentioned in dialogue it can be calculated that most of it takes place in the early to mid-2060s.
- Distant Finale: the final scene of the play involves only the surviving Primes speaking to each other.
- Driven to Suicide: Tess, and earlier her brother
- Fake Memories: Invoked. The Primes only contain autobiographical information shared with them by their owners, and as such can be made to create new memories and histories as they see fit. Notably, Marjorie has her Husband's Prime replace its memory of him proposing to her after watching Runaway Bride with Casablanca (because the latter movie is more romantic).
- Hologram: the Primes are ambiguously holographic.
- Kiss Me, I'm Virtual: Averted. While Primes are virtually identical in appearance and behavior to actual human beings, those who use them are under no illusion that they are real.
- Replacement Goldfish: In essence, what Primes are used for.
