A superbly staged production that is both ambitious and original

It’s been awhile since we’ve enjoyed theatre of any kind, but setting that aside, a while longer since The Keeper’s Daughter have presented one of their adaptations of classic texts. The works of Conan Doyle, Bram Stoker and Charles Dickens have all been previously brought to the stage through the eccentric prism of Mark Finbow’s imagination, and this latest production has all the signature characteristics we’ve come to expect – humour, irreverence and puppetry.

Nonetheless, it is a significent departure from the usual template. Previous shows adhered remarkably close to the source material, whereas this time Finbow has taken the spirit, rather than the letter, of HG Well’s novella on board. In an altogether more impressionistic telling of The Time Machine, the childlike Eloi are represented by a robotic flying worm, while the brutish Morlocks are little more than illuminated red eyes. The original text is referenced, but sparingly, so that much of the tale is told through extended passages of mime. It’s a brave, audacious move and if occasionally at the expense of clarity, it is undoubtedly ambitious and original.

In these troubled times, its notable that Finbow has chosen to emphasise Well’s social commentary, integrating contemporary references and music, something ably assisted by superb sound design from Frazer Merrick. What really sets this production apart, however, is the extraordinary (and fully functional) time machine that takes centre stage throughout. Mike McShanes’s stunning creation, a cross between a Tardis and a dentist’s chair, comes close to stealing the show, turning what would still have been an entertaining romp into something quite special.