When the worlds of science-fiction and science-fact collide... extraordinary things can happen.

Dave is the great-great grandson of H.G. Wells, author of the 1895 novella The Time Machine, a book that foretold (with suspicious accuracy) the future of the human species. What if the ideas in that book weren't entirely fiction? Right now, Dave and his friends Amy and Michael must set out on a journey through time... the journey of a lifetime!

The Time Machine: A Comedy is (very loosely) adapted from H.G. Wells by Steven Canny and John Nicholson, whose previous adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles was a hit in the West End and subsequently for numerous companies worldwide. It was first produced in 2023 on a tour of the UK, before a run at Park Theatre, London, produced by Original Theatre and directed by Orla O'Loughlin.

Fast-paced and wise-cracking, this riotous retelling zips from the nineteenth century to the end of the world, and (with any luck) back again. It will suit any theatre company looking for a time-bending adaptation of a well-loved story - and a surefire audience-pleaser.

About the Author
Steven Canny is a writer, director and producer for BBC Radio and has worked as an Associate Director and Dramaturg for Complicite. His plays include adaptations (with John Nicholson) of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Hound of the Baskervilles (Peepolykus, 2007) and H. G. Wells's The Time Machine (Original Theatre, 2023). John Nicholson is a writer, director and performer. He is Co-Artistic Director of Peepolykus, with whom he has toured throughout the UK and worldwide since 1995. As a writer, his work includes: King Arthur (Le Navet Bete, 2024); The Time Machine, co-written with Steven Canny (Original Theatre, 2023); Treasure Island (Le Navet Bete, 2019); Dracula: The Bloody Truth (Le Navet Bete, 2017); The Massive Tragedy of Madame Bovary, co-written with Javier Marzan for Peepolykus (Liverpool Everyman, 2016); and The Hound of the Baskervilles, co-written with Steven Canny for Peepolykus (West Yorkshire Playhouse, 2007). He has also written extensively for BBC Radio, including Richard's Rampage, and the four-part series Trespasser's Guide to the Classics (2015). As an actor, he has numerous television credits, particularly across the BBC and ITV.

Reviews

'Breathtaking... gloriously silly, unrestrained fun'

* The Stage *

'Exquisitely entertaining... thoroughly, ridiculously amusing'

* Indiependent *

'Glorious... an amusing, witty, imaginative show hinging on actual time travel, as it pivots around a gleefully ridiculous plot twist... it ends very amusingly indeed'

* Time Out *

'A rollercoaster ride through time and space'

* What's On Bristol *

'Unmissable... many laugh out loud surprises... a weird and wonderful story that seems simple on the outside but has a lot of layers (each one just as funny as the last) that slowly but surely get peeled away... two hours of pure nonsense and humour... It all blends together perfectly, with plenty of energy, some hilarious Goes Wrong-style problems, and a finale that is bizarre and wonderful, yet perfectly in keeping with everything that's just gone before... If you're looking for an evening of pure silliness that sends you out into the night with a smile on your face, The Time Machine: A Comedy fits the bill'

* Everything Theatre *

'Jolly good fun... part backstage farce, part Doctor Who special, underpinned by a celebratory silliness'

* LondonTheatre1 *

'A real hoot... unpretentious and easy-flowing, with a lot of laughter... side-splitting and unpredictable'

* Broadway World *

'Steven Canny and John Nicholson's script gleefully takes inspiration from the source material while offering us something new... delivers consistent surprises and genuine laugh out loud moments'

* Theatre Weekly *

'A thorough celebration of the comedic arsenal... H.G. Wells on speed'

* British Theatre Guide *

'A triumph... Steven Canny and John Nicholson have once again created a hit show, using their incredibly witty writing style to deliver a script that is fast paced, slick and easy to follow... utterly insane from beginning to end'

* London Theatre Reviews *

'A wild and crazy ride... highly entertaining'

* Sardines Magazine *

'A triumphant success... one of the most hilarious explorations of the theory of time travel'

* The Spy in the Stalls *

'A work of some mad genius... a humorous and emotionally turbulent show with a truly brilliant script... Every moment is perfectly crafted... The writing stays true to the sentiment of Wells' novel, giving us a glimpse into how the time travelling tropes that we know and love have developed into what they are today'

* Broadway Baby *

'Delightful... a must-see for the holiday season... a winning combination of outright stupidity and truly engaging storytelling'

* All That Dazzles *

'If you are a fan of comedic mishaps, outrageous innuendo, Cher tribute songs and hip hop Wilde mashups, I'd suggest that time waits for no one and you'd better run to see this show'

* Theatre and Tonic *
'Very clever and highly enjoyable... a play where everything that can possibly happen happens - twice' * Reviews Hub *



Book Information
ISBN 9781839042966
Author Steven Canny
Format Paperback
Page Count 88
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Weight(grams) 106g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 6mm