What if the very technology that connects us also controls us? The Machine Stops, adapted by Briony Dunn from E.M. Forster’s prophetic 1909 novella, lands at Theatre Works in St Kilda this August for a gripping seven-performance season.
This radical dystopian epic imagines a world where humanity lives underground, reliant on an all-encompassing global messaging system that shapes every aspect of life.
“E.M. Forster essentially predicted the internet, Ted Talks, instant messaging, and video calls – and he was warning us against them,” explains director Briony Dunn. “Anyone concerned about the hours of screen-time they’re clocking? So was Forster.”
Starring the formidable Mary Helen Sassman and Patrick Livesey, the production is a mesmerising blend of sound, light and performance, with a creative team including Green Room Award-winning lighting designer Niklas Pajanti and sound designer Darrin Verhagen. Together, they craft an intense, immersive experience that asks: What sort of future are we making? Do you want that future?
Part Black Mirror, part Beckett, The Machine Stops turns technology’s dominance on its head, forcing us to confront our relationship with the digital world and each other.
Running from 22–30 August at Theatre Works (14 Acland St, St Kilda), tickets are now on sale. Don’t miss this rare, thought-provoking journey into the future—live on stage.
More info: theatreworks.org.au
