Rossum’s Universal Robots (November 2025 )

Props design by Yanqi Lu

Foothill College Theatre Arts

Directed by Bruce McLeod

R.U.R. is set in a retro-futuristic world imagined in the early 1900s. It tells the story of Rossum’s Universal Robots, a company that makes artificial people called “robots.” These robots, created to help humans work, eventually rebel as social and moral conflicts grow. The play mixes humor with serious themes, combining old-fashioned style with future ideas. As humans face extinction, a last hope appears, showing that feelings and kindness might be the real source of life.

The wireless phone was meant to show how people in the early 1900s imagined future technology. It looked old-fashioned with a wooden case, metal knobs, copper coils, and glass tubes, reflecting how wireless communication was seen then. It also had modern touches like a removable antenna, a light design for actors to carry, and large, simple parts to highlight the mystery of invisible radio waves. The wedding cake was made of foam and clay, with an overall 1920s vintage style. There were two 3D-printed robots on top, two wreaths in the middle, and at the base.