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Regional Reviews: Other Regions The Time Machine
There are many fun twists and turns in the plot so I'll try to reveal as little as possible. The show begins in modern times when a mysterious box arrives at the home of Helene Briggs. When her 15-year-old granddaughter Skye and her son-in-law Bradley open the box, they discover a handwritten manuscript of "The Time Machine" that forces Helen to reveal the truth about her past as well as to realize that the future of the world is in danger. Together, Helene and Skye set off on a journey through time to save the world. Fox's script does a wonderful job of pulling in details of Wells' book and staying true to some of the elements of "The Time Machine," while crafting characters and a plot that are entirely original and continually engaging. By shifting the focus to Helene and her granddaughter, it also puts females front and center in this sci-fi adventure tale and places the future of the world entirely on their shoulders, which is a welcome change from usual male-dominated action-adventure stories. Fox is also successful in finding ways to weave the past and the present together, adding a big dose of romance to the plot and incorporating actual people like Wells and Albert Einstein into the script. While there is much to love in Fox's play, including a poignant ending that may find you shedding a few tears, there are a few loose plot points that don't get tied up completely by the end as well as a few things that don't exactly make sense. However, those are just a few quibbles in an otherwise wonderfully plotted play and I'm sure Fox will find a way to resolve those details, or explain them better, if he plans to have this produced elsewhere. The Hale production is double cast and the cast I saw, which performs on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays, are all excellent. Tamari Dunbar and Kadyn Ballard make a wonderful time-trotting duo as Helene and Skye, with portrayals that are realistic and grounded. Becca Ingram is equally good as the younger Helene in a performance that's spirited and authentic. As Gregory Whitman, Helene's school friend, Abrin Tinney is strong and forceful. Jarod D. Lewis is charming and spirited as H.G. Wells. Roger Dunbar is warm and sensible as Bradley, Skye's father, and Taylor Seth Hall is wonderful and funny as Albert Einstein. Zac Zumbrunnen and Julie Silvestro are delightful and bright as a wealthy couple who host Helene, Wells, and Bradley for an evening of storytelling, and Silvestro also has a lot of fun as a second character who factors into the time-traveling plot. Dave Tinney's direction finds the right balance to allow for the action-driven, fun fantasy elements of the script to shine brightly while ensuring the emotional moments resonate and linger. The creative elements are exceptional, with Jenn Taylor's scenic design using a few set pieces to create clearly defined locations with curved, movable panels that tie into the time-traveling plot; the time machine is a wonderful homage to the one in the 1960 film. Jaron Kent Hermansen's video and projection designs add elements of fantasy, using realistic elements to help flesh out the various locales in the show. The beautiful character-specific costumes by Peggy Willis cross the various time periods in the play and Jaron Kent Hermansen's lighting is immersive. Fifteen-year-old Cameron Dietlein's original music score provides an evocative soundscape for the production that plays into and echoes the dramatic and adventure plot elements in the script. The Time Machine is a well-crafted, time-bending, updated homage to H.G. Wells' classic novel and an original, fun and engaging puzzle of a play. The Time Machine runs through July 20, 2024, at Hale Centre Theatre, 9900 South Monroe Street, Sandy Utah. For tickets and information, please visit hct.org or call 801-984-9000 Written by Michael D. Fox Cast |
