Robert J. Sawyer's Immortality

It is 2023 and a once famous folk musician has returned to her old hometown for her 60th high school reunion.

The building has changed - old walls torn down and replaced by a larger, thermally efficient structure, wired with fibre optics for the new millenium. The grounds have changed too - fields replaced by asphalt to accommodate the ever-increasing volume of cars. The people too, appear different - save for those who have had rejuvenation treatments. A lot has changed in 60 years -- but is it enough?

This piece is an elegant character study in which Sawyer showcases his talent for connecting with the human condition and really getting inside his characters - connecting with the heart of what makes them tick and thereby enabling us to see a new perspective: the world through their eyes. The result is powerful and moving.

This work was inspired by Janis Ian's song "Society's Child".