On Wednesday, we went to The Octagon in Bolton to see The Time Machine. Read what our reviewer Karen Ryder thought of this new show...

The Time Machine!  I’m not entirely sure how to describe this play as it defies explanation.  It is utterly mind-boggling, brilliant, and chaotic in all the best possible ways.  How to give a succinct description when it is sheer chaos, bamboozlement, and hilarity throughout?  The thrill of attending a show where anything can happen is always an adrenaline hook for me, and I was not disappointed.  It’s science fiction meets science fact with bizarre consequences as three friends get caught up in a journey through time on a time travelling chair.  It is also a play within a play as the characters ditch their rehearsals for The Importance of Being Ernest when Dave decides that the said chair, a chair once owned by H. G Wells himself, who also happens to be Dave’s ancestor, is actually the real deal!  Are you keeping up?  Good.  Things take on many a twist and turn, and we soon find ourselves in the year 802701 on an entirely different mission, one of life or death!  Wellsian themes from the original novel are alluded to as the friends travel to a world driven by class conflict and grapple with their own desires, which include the desire to perform Cher songs!  The characters learn (as do the audience) to simply expected the unexpected, go with the flow, watch out for Morlocks, and to watch out for Amy! 

There are jibes from the characters that in trying to adapt the H.G Wells book for the stage, there’s an awful lot of boring bits that they kind of want to skip over.  So, whilst the general idea of time travel is indeed at the heart of this production, and as already mentioned, there are quite a few nods to Wellsian themes and Morlocks, this is not an adaptation of the original book, and nor does it claim to be.  It is an idea taken from the book that writers Steven Canny and John Nicholson have put an Original Theatre Company stamp on and created an entirely new and ingenious show.  However, many of Wells’ themes still ring true today such as the danger of technology and the fact that as humans, despite this technology, we still haven’t been able to dodge our own mortality.  There are some really sciencey, physicy-whizzicy explanations about continuums, paradoxes and such like, that for someone like me, make sense when I hear them, but then my mind is immediately blown, and I forget the simplest of things such as the fact that my water bottle was actually orange juice and become confused as to what on earth I’m was drinking!  Sadly, this really happened!  But these science bits are actually great and make sure that all forms of audience life are satisfied, from the farce lovers to the fact lovers.

A large clock dominates the otherwise blank stage, which awaits a plethora of props, scenery, and costume to be brought on as and when needed.  These easily depict the era, the scene, the time, from a Victorian drawing room which links us to the H.G Wells original story, to a chequered cloth covered table for Michael’s date.  The costumes switch from period clothing, to contemporary, to the intentionally unfathomable and with some cracking wigs, hats, and muppets thrown in (yes muppets), you just never know what is around the next timeline.  Fred Meller (design), Colin Grenfell (lighting) and Greg Clarke (sound) can take great delight in their combined work creating a brilliant atmosphere, whilst depicting the ridiculously difficult concept of time travel through hilarious and mad methods.  Explosions, flashes, collapsing scenery, dry ice, fog machines and back lit props all play an equal part in the performance, and it highlights that the cast and creatives have to be perfectly in sync and full of faith and trust in each other’s timing for any of it to work.  Even the background music provided prior to the show and during the interval is carefully thought out.  I’ll let you listen out for these gems yourself.

The cast is made up of Dave Hearn (Founding member the Olivier Award-winning Mischief Theatre, The Play That Goes Wrong, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery), Michael Dylan (Winner of the Stage Edinburgh Award for Acting Excellence 2022, One Man Two Guvnors, Muppets Most Wanted, Outlander), Amy Revelle (When Women Wee, The Rounds, Black Or White Coffee) and Noah Marullo (Tracy Beaker Returns, The Dumping Ground, Free Agents).  Hearn, Dylan and Revelle are the main trio and are like Duracell bunnies on a sugar high on Christmas morning.  Their energy, enthusiasm and excitement are infectious, and their likeability lures you into their world, making the audience amenable to all their requests.  Hearn is so at home on the stage and this chaotic environment.  It was a real treat watching him in this cosy theatre space.  He comfortably guides us through the evening, with a cheeky smile here, a “what the?!!!!!” look there, and a relaxed banter with the audience throughout.  His comedic timing is priceless, and he has the capability to land a joke without saying a word.  He is comedic and improv heaven. 

Dylan plays the fall guy perfectly.  He speaks a thousand words with his facial expressions and his rendition of a Hamlet soliloquy was not only impressive and heart wrenching, it solidified why he is an award winning actor.  He had the hearts of the audience with him and even though the plot of the second half was hilarious, he was able to remind us of its deeper theme, without making anyone miserable.  And Revelle!  Is there anything she can’t do?  She is funny, brilliant at creating such distinct and different characters, sings Cher like, well Cher, and represents womens strength and power to a tee!  Her ability to multi role, which all the actors do, is incredible, effortlessly switching it up from a Victorian societal Lady, to an Eastender, to Miss Piggy, to Meghan of the Markle.  She creates hilarious caricatures for us all to share a joke over.  Marullo may have a much smaller role, but he is so convincing in it that you’ll be forgiven for not even noticing he is an actor in the show, and when you’ve seen it, you’ll understand I mean that as a compliment.  You may however find him in the foyer at the end of the show hanging out with Brian Cox!  I kid you not!    

Orla O’Loughlin must have the brain of a mad hatter to have conceived the direction of this production, and that makes her my kind of person!  The energy created is palpable, infectious, and allows us to throw logic out of the window, ensuring a carefree and excitable vibe throughout.  The trust and respect she has given the actors is a credit to them all and to her, allowing a sense of anticipation throughout.  Even greater is the fact that you don’t really know what it is you’re anticipating, but you’re excited for its arrival!

The best thing about The Time Machine is possibly the powerful trust and skill between the cast and creatives as they guide us through a show that has the very real potential to go completely wrong.  If audiences refused to join in, their show doesn’t work in the way it’s meant to.  So, it is with complete respect and awe that I hero worship Hearn, Dylan, and Revelle for putting their trust in each other, but also in us as an audience.  And because they are all so approachable, aimable and alluring, you want to help them out.  You want to take part.  You want the show to succeed.  Even when the show ‘goes wrong,’ it is done so right, with technical issues, dialogue that ends up in the wrong order, and props falling over being timed to perfection.  The second half is where things really let lose!  The audience become the fourth character and boy did they get involved!  I won’t say how as I think it’s only fair you discover that joy for yourself.  But needless to say, throw in a Deliveroo, B*Witched, a Derren Brown type experience, Brian Cox, and a little bit more Cher, and you’re still only just scratching the tip off this time travelling, tantalizing tornado of a show!

The Time Machine team aren’t new to the Bolton Octagon, as their version of The Hound Of The Baskervilles smashed it there in 2021.  It’s written by Steven Canny and John Nicholson and presented by Original Theatre in association with New Wolsey Theatre.  This award-winning theatre company have been touring all over the UK since 2004, exciting, thrilling and engaging audiences with their hallmark zaniness and fearless originality.  

The Time Machine is not only mad cap fun, but actually has a beautiful message of strength in adversity, friendship and hope at its heart.  It shows that even when the worst happens, you don’t have to give up.  You can choose how to react, how to respond, and go out with a smile on your face and a beat boxing Irish jig in your heart.  How can I convince you to go and watch this wild, wonderful, witty and wise cracking show?  Well, I would travel back in time to the start of this show and watch it all over again tomorrow if that helps!  Luckily, the lack of such a machine hidden in my loft doesn’t actually matter, as this show will be cracking the funny bones of audiences until 22^nd April, so I’ve got plenty of chance to grab all my pals, spread the word and watch it again.  Because trust me when I say this is one you will regret not seeing!

I took my dad, who is probably the least likely to attend a show that requires audience participation (unless it’s shouting out tips and advice to his football team on how they should be playing) but he loved it and felt perfectly safe that he wasn’t going to be ‘picked on.’  The Time Machine defies explanation, that is its USP, and the reason you will come out buzzing.  It is full of belly laughs, absurdity, and will have you ugly laughing to the point that you won’t even care!  Your jaw will ache from smiling, your heart will sing with joy, and your mind will wonder what on earth just happened, but you’ll know that whatever it was, you’re glad you were there for it. 

WE SCORE THE TIME MACHINE...

The Time Machine can be seen on stage at The Octagon, Bolton until Saturday 22nd April 2023.

BOOK YOUR TICKETS HERE!