My Marvelous Melcher Machine

Comedy, Improv, Physical Theatre, All Ages - http://www.jamesmelcher.net/

James Melcher puts on a touching performance in his autobiographical play, My Marvelous Melcher Machine, about growing up with more than his fair share of funerals and near-constant change. The themes of death and change are up-front the whole time, oddly without being overly sad or tear-jerky – though the story seems a bit random throughout, with jumps in chronology that I didn’t always get.
 
Melcher makes very effective use of his outdoor space by the marina on Granville Island (and after sitting in a slightly stuffy theatre earlier, laying out on a picnic blanket under a tree on a warm, sunny day was a treat.

One last important note: the show, like this review, is short. Just over 20 minutes. I didn’t know that going in, and I was kind of left feeling like there was more there to explore: like, for instance, what the Machine in his title is about. Or what the deal was with the suit. You’ll see what I mean.

By Jonathon Narvey