Machinal

A solid and surprising show.

An amazing project, on a thoughtful topic. It’s a lot to pack into a 50min show. They did a great job, but lost their way in the middle. However, they found the thread at the end. The last scenes were powerful and moving.

Great Choreography Limited Story

Beguiling and bold

The margolis centered company flexes the best of the method and the madness of our world in an incredibly physical and magnetic performance. Every ensemble member is locked in, captivating, and effectively articulates a bold directorial vision. Incredible impressive work from an incredibly impressive collective

Moving, heartfelt, relatable, funny

Machinal was such a wonderful show! Incredibly competent and talented performers, I was surprised and delighted at every turn. A treat for the senses. It was so interesting and I wanted to reach my hand out to the characters. I was completely entranced!

Past Expressionism, Still Current Issue

An excellent example of German expressionism with a dash of theater of the absurd. This is the most phenomenal directing debut I have ever seen. I have seen 21 shows and this gets my vote as the Fringiest so far. Sometimes when we hear the word “fringiest” we think of tattered, and perhaps even chaotic. But this was just the opposite: polished, but nevertheless edgy. Something you don’t see often. See this while you have a chance!

Strong Directorial Debut

Seconds after the show began, I felt an intriguing "what are they doing?" sensation that carried with me the whole performance. Here plot is delivered largely without connective dialogue and is impossible to anticipate in an exciting way. The movement and physical storytelling were hypnotic and indicative of how cohesive this ensemble is. What I wished for was total immersion- yet this was consistently broken by technical choices, especially concerning sound design. The use of stock music that started and ended abruptly took me out of the show and caused me to notice scene transitions that should have been seamless. Cast and crew should remain proud; putting on this show was undoubtedly a feat and is the "fringiest" I feel I've seen among six shows so far.

Marvelous production

The production captured the expressionist intent of the author of this play from 100 years ago. The cast was extremely well-rehearsed and all of the performances were excellent.

Abstract.

Tight, well-rehearsed cast with captivating sequences. Not your typical Fringe show -- imagine a play as performance art with choreography + some spoken word.

Enthralling

The precision of the choreography and narrative arch were fantastic, but the depth of acting talent in this show left an impression on me. Each cast member had moments where their talents shined through without any sense of tug of war or pulling the show off its larger journey. Bravo. I will be recommending this show to others.

Machinal has it all!!

Beautiful, funny, moving! Renee Howard did incredible work staging this show - it says so much about women's struggle & the industrialization of society, both of which feel so relevant today. The cast was well rehearsed, the group movement sections were compelling and told the impressionistic story so well. The ensemble cast was both funny and moving, and Anna Pladson was tragic and beautiful as the young woman! The sections of live music were so beautiful, and the aerial sequences felt natural and added to the storytelling. I loved this show!

Expressionist and I love it!

This is my own personal bias, but I’m a real sucker for any kind of show that leaves you thinking. The visual language, the biomechanics, the performers and director really nailed it. You won’t like this if you’re not into weird expressionist shit, but if you are, this is a Fringe highlight for sure!

Well done, spirited and talented cast.

Not sure why this was listed under dance shows, but I thought the complicated movements executed throughout the show was precise and entertaining. These guys did their work and it showed. I thought the staging of this popular play was creative and original. For the play that was presented, with it's many different, connected scenes, giving aĺl the actors their moment, it flowed so well that I was sorry to see it end. I hope that all of the cast, with their individual talents on display, continue to appear on local stages in the future.

Amazing in every dimension!

Creativity 5; Production Value 5; Interest (subjective) 5 We weren't familiar with the work, so walked in cold, drawn by the great reviews. But we were engaged from the very first minute: the movement, the cohesive team, the music, and the story were all top rate.

This HAS to be one of the Fringe's best!

Machinal tells a compelling and still timely story using beautifully choreographed stagecraft, with marvelous musical elements and potent performance by lead actor Sara Pladson. It is amazing that Renee Hatton created this adaptation of Sophie Tredwell's classic play, and also directed it - in her directorial debut. It is staged with wit, efficiency, and an eye for stunning stage imagery. Try not to miss it.

Good Show!!

A strong cast that create a compelling story with creative movement and imagery Very moving and at times funny.

Beautifully Staged

I was captured from the moment I took my seat. The aerial work was spectacular, and the cast was brilliant! I was taken out of it at times by some clunky sound cue looping, but the well-choreographed movement brought me back in. The dialogue was rich, but at times I found it to be competing with the movement onstage. Incredible use of the space and smart staging choices.

Ambitious and visually stunning

I hadn't been familiar with the original source material prior, but this interpretation has inspired me to go and read it. The use of the space was surprising and ambitious, and I loved the way the ensemble transformed the energy with their bodies. It is a tale that remains all too relevant and in spite of the tragic end it is cathartic to see the Young Woman transform before our eyes.

Not your great grandparents’ Machinal

Director Renee Howard and the ensemble update this classic feminist liberationist piece from the early 20th century with wit and song. And aerial! Helen’s arc is vividly and viscerally rendered and culminates in an especially creative and compelling interpretation of her tragic ending. A must-see!

The Viewpoints

This show owes much to Wooster Group, SITI Company, and other performance art groups. Use of Suzuki, Viewpoints, and other acting exercises. If you are a fan of Physical Theatre, you will probably like this. Good skills and precision. An excellent example of why you must evaluate a work on its own terms. Was it successful in accomplishing what it set out to do? Yes. Did I love it? No. As a devotee of literary-based, dialogue-driven theater, it was not my cup of tea. But they were faithful to the source, and you should go see it.

Stunning

Virtually stunning. So much energy and talent. Love when a show makes you uncomfortable. Congrats!

Food for your imagination

There were so many special parts of this production. It was perfectly matched with the stage at the Southern Theater, which was lighted so that is seemed like a dungeon or a poorly lit factory. In particular, the shine of the elements on the stage was a great contrast with the darkness of the setting. The story was told mostly through hints and foreshadowing, which prompted the audience to fill in the details with their imagination. The style of the play kept changing, which made it surprising and engaging.

Simply WOW

Owing to the nature of Fringe, over the years I have seen shows that one can describe as bad, really bad, okay, competent, nicely done, and even I’m impressed. Then once in a great while, I get to see a show that I call WOW. This play is a WOW. This play is billed as a modern adaptation of the 1928 German Expressionist play Machinal and it has all the look and feel of German Expressionism. Viewers will recognize similarities to Fritz Lang’s Metropolis in the opening scene of the play. The colors are black, white, and metal. The actors wear black jump suits. The staging, props, choreography, singing, and acting are all first rate. Even more impressive, I’m told this is Renee Hatton’s directorial debut. This play is shown at the Southern Theater and it’s difficult to imagine a better space in which to perform it. It’s the perfect backdrop and sets the perfect mood. If you see this play, be forewarned. This is heavy stuff. There is no comedic interlude. The tension never stops. This play is drama. And it is simply fantastic. For fans of German Expressionism or those who just want to see a really fine Fringe production, this is a must see. I’m only giving it 5 kitties, because the software wont let me give it 6.

Incredible!!!

Essentially flawless - I was blown away! Amazing lead and incredible ensemble work. Really amazing combination of music, movement, and acting. A must-see!

See this show!!!

I absolutely loved this adaptation. What a bold piece!! From the creation of the space to the rigidity of the physical movements to the sound design to the acting and so on, I was deeply moved. Thank you for this beautiful piece. Bravo.

hot dog!

this was an absolutely fantastic watch- don't miss it!! i loved the movement and dance, and the lighting and sound design were also absolutely phenomenal. this piece was a visceral exploration of feminist themes and i was absolutely swept away by the talent of the actors. they were so in sync and so much of the staging was absolute eye candy. so glad i caught this one!!

Mesmorizing and spiraling

This show grabs you and brings you into a stark, cold, glittering world that spirals out in front of you. Their use of space and physicality is brilliant and beautiful — Pladson is an incredible mover and performer and the ensemble is sharp, clear, and thorough. They leave nothing on the table. Wonderful show!

Moving and Movement

I'm familiar with Combustible Company's work so thought I knew what to expect. This was a surprise. I remember reading about the subject. Somehow I saw a photograph of the execution when I was a pre-teen and it haunted me for years (still does). The combination of movement, dialogue, and music. It's surprising how relevant this 100-year old story is. History truly does repeat itself.

A show we'll talk about for years.

So many Fringe shows have something to say. So many are inventive and fun. And many are awful beautiful at the same time. This show is all of the above.

Now THAT'S an ensemble!

Beautiful staging of a classic. Enthralling. The trapeze work was beautiful. Tightest ensemble work I've seen at fringe in years. They were all like a well oiled machine (which, yeah is the point, so major kudos). I miss the scenes that were cut, but, hey, it's fringe. Unfortunately I felt pulled out of the narrative during the songs and wish they had kept the momentum up

Beautiful Body Work!

This adaptation of the classic play is Phenomenal! The cast shows INCREDIBLE body control, precision, and the whole production runs like clockwork, with mechanical wonder. The cast understands the themes of the work and blocking is poignant, meeting a modern audience with both exuberance and sharp critique. The unexpected and beautiful aerialism really works well with the themes of the piece and the motifs of both the movement and prop choices. I truly cannot believe this is a directorial debut. Kudos to the multi-talented cast and the amazing direction and design work. DON'T MISS THIS SHOW!

bold show

This was an interesting take on Sophie Treadwell's Machinal. I appreciate that a lot of big and bold choices were made and technically well-executed. I applaud having some clear choices, but I also don't know how often those choices actually enhanced the script or emotional arcs of the character. It's still a very fine adaptation of a piece of theater that has a lot of merit and something that you don't get to see performed very often. Also I need to mention that I am glad I sat in the front row because there was some staging and props that were extremely downstage.

Beautiful and surprising!

Knowing little about this show going into it, I found it surprising, compelling and so enjoyable! An incredibly professional, well choreographed and coordinated cast and production (a welcome contrast to some more ragged/less cohesive shows I've seen at the Fringe!). This is a show I would definitely see again to absorb even more of the movement and story!

Strong in every way

This production is proof that a strong directorial concept can make the difference between a good production and an excellent production. The ensemble was fantastic. The actors had intention and energy and focus. The venue was perfect. The costuming, set design, lights and sound worked together seamlessly. The adaptation was good. But the direction was just gorgeous.

Loved it!

For me, this show had it all. The story was great, well told, and the acting was superb. Even though the play was written 100 years ago, it's absolutely, unfortunately, totally relevant today. It's a sad story, but there are lots of VERY funny parts. I especially loved the movement, the aerial work and the music! I could watch this show a dozen times and get something new out of it every time. In fact, I'm already planning to go again tomorrow.

Amazed by the talent!

This show was so awesome! The Southern was a perfect venue for this, it worked so well with their overall aesthetic and the crazy sound-scape. Seriously, the sound-scape might’ve been my favorite part… the songs were beautiful and the atmosphere they created with random working sounds— SO COOL! An incredible movement piece, very impactful, and full of talent!

Spooky

Amazing :)