"Elmer Rice's expressionist satire The Adding Machine tells the story of Mr. Zero, a middle-aged bookkeeper who murders his boss after being replaced by a calculator. Even in the afterlife, he remains a captive of a system meant to keep the common man down."
"Despite a valiant effort, Rubin-Vega-in unconvincing drag-is less than Mr. Zero. Perhaps Elliott thought casting a Latina woman would expand the notion of the persecuted everyman, but it's at odds with the play's depiction of white male fragility."
"Only Choudhury manages to successfully navigate the play's tricky tone, transforming from a dowdy and depressed drone into a luminous free spirit."
"Scenic designer Derek McLane's infinite back wall of shelves feels appropriately like a prison, and Jeff Croiter's lighting design smartly employs moments of jolting brightness amid the dark."
Elmer Rice's The Adding Machine presents the story of Mr. Zero, a bookkeeper who murders his boss after being replaced by a calculator. Even in the afterlife, he remains trapped by societal systems. The production, directed by Scott Elliott, attempts to address contemporary issues like AI's impact on workers. However, casting choices and revisions detract from the original themes, leading to a confusing experience. Despite strong design elements, the overall execution fails to resonate effectively with the audience.
Read at Time Out New York
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]