What I liked
Hats off to the puppeteers and puppet makers! The Time Machine features adept puppetry and whimsical creatures that spark imagination and tug on heart strings. I certainly wasn’t prepared to be so emotionally invested in paper mache on wood in a tunic, and often had to remind myself there were puppeteers making it all happen. The physicality of the lead puppet, Weena, was especially magical.
The Author, played by Christie Coran, is delivered strong, clear, and connected from the get-go, and I felt at once at ease and in capable hands. Benjamin McFadden’s adaptation is admirable and allows for easy-to-follow, action-packed storytelling.
Clever use of set, exceptional costumes, and immersive light and soundscapes up the production value, and while this style of theatre isn’t new, it certainly is well executed.
What I didn't like
Jessica Martin’s performance as The Time Traveler was largely energetic and connected, with mad props given for a creating a sustained sense of urgency, but there were a handful of flubbed lines and I desperately wanted to see hints of the violence the traveler was capable of wreaking before the trust-breaking moment with the puppet, as it seemed to come from nowhere.
A few small, questionable directorial choices (Isn’t that prop representing realtime fire? Why is it hung with the coats? Or is that not a coatrack right now but a wall? And why am I still hung up on this?) distracted me from the world of the play, but the engaging storytelling always brought me back.
My overall impression
This 90 minute adaptation clips along at a good rate thanks to tight ensemble choreography, fast-paced storytelling, stunning spectacle, and an arsenal of surprises. A beautiful piece beautifully told!
