Little Lark of London

“Two hours of utter nonsense!”

Written by John Nicholson and Steven Canny and directed by Orla O’Loughlin, The Time Machine starts with the simple concept of being a three-hander of The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, performed by Michael (Michael Dylan), Amy (Amy Revelle)  and Dave Wells (Dave Hearn). Yes, Dave Wells.  Dave is a descendant of the author himself and has recently discovered that H.G.’s novel is actually a true story, so the trio will now be performing Dave’s own version of The Time Machine instead of the previously-scheduled The Importance of Being Earnest.

The majority of the first act of The Time Machine replicates Dave’s discovery and how Amy and Michael react to his shocking revelation. After a funny sequence in which the actors try to gain proof of H.G. Wells’ travelling through time and explain time paradoxes through skits (Miss Piggy makes an appearance with a golden gun), the trio put on Dave’s version of The Time Machine. I absolutely adored the overdraamtic amateur acting in the play within a play, as Revelle and Dylan in particular go full ham as their characters playing different characters. 

Indeed, all three of the performers are brilliant in their roles, using the time they have had together developing this show to have a fantastic rapport and stellar comedic timing between one another. 

Revelle is a revelation (pun fully intended) as not only Amy but also as Mary in the actual play of The Time Machine, delivering some of the most heartbreaking lines in the show with ease. Her ability to switch between comedic moments like expressing her exasperation over the two guys, tragic ones like Mary having to accept the loss of her lover, and belting out Cher songs is truly a delight to watch. Hearn is ridiculously dramatic as Dave, constantly running around the stage as he desperately tries to keep everything moving forward. He has several moments in which he gets to show off his physicality, including one bit where he dramatically writhes around the stage much more than needed. Along with his comedic chops, he too is great with the more serious moments, allowing Dave’s heart to shine through his arrogant and dramatic exterior. 

But for me, Dylan absolutely steals the show as Michael, the hapless and anxious actor who has a surprising amount of knowledge on time travel paradoxes. Without going into too many spoilers, he becomes the heart of a show, bringing together the three actors as friends, not just coworkers putting on a play. At one point he gives an impressive Hamlet soliloquy that made me want to see him in more Shakespeare!

The effects used to illustrate time travel throughout The Time Machine are incredibly clever, often enhanced by Hearn’s acting as Dave reacts to travelling through time. Lighting Designer Colin Grenfell and Sound Designer Greg Clarke combine their talents to create a fun atmosphere for the show, especially when they use the lights and sound to portray the time travelling occurring on stage. Designer Fred Meller has also created a simple yet fun set, including a time machine that is able to move around the stage with the help of the actors. 

There are some bits throughout the show that appear to have been inspired by Mischief’s sense of comedy on stage including taking instructions literally, characters mixing up their lines with one another and misplaced props that lead to disaster. Ironically, it tends to be Hearn, a founding member of Mischief, who calls out these moments or plays that straight-faced character in moments of comedy, the opposite of his character within the Mischief Universe, Max. 

The second act brings in some audience participation, with the actors breaking the fourth wall as they try to understand how to break the time paradox that they have become stuck in. Without going into too many spoilers, a few audience members are brought on stage, which leads to some fun improvisation from Dylan, Hearn, and Revelle. For being a dark comedy based on a tragic story, The Time Machine has a surprisingly heartfelt ending. I won’t go into spoilers, but Michael gives an incredible Shakespearean monologue that left me in awe of Dylan’s acting abilities. 

Ultimately, The Time Machine is a fun show that manages to make a comedy out of H.G. Wells’ tale of warning. It has built on previous versions of itself to become an even better show, which is only improved by the time the three performers have spent together developing their characters. To quote one of the characters, “It’s all about bloody time.” Indeed, The Time Machine is all about time, but in the most chaotic and funniest way possible. Now if only someone could build a time machine for H.G. Wells himself to see this . . . 

The Time Machine runs until 30 December at the Park Theatre.

Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan