Memory Machine - bizarre and courageous.

From the moment I walked into the theatre, I was fascinated. One of the lead actors was already onstage, strapped to a vertical bed, and lolling white-faced and open-mouthed to the sound of deep, interrupted breathing. Disturbed and weirdly captivated by the scene, I was curious about how this story would unfold.

As the piece moved forward, creators Saha Sajadieh and Parjad Sharifi continued to create a compelling creepy and sensual world. But although there were some gorgeous and disturbing moments, the lack of narrative structure created too much confusion to give these moments relevance.  The piece was too over-thought and self-conscious, lacking the action and momentum I needed to connect with the story.

The languor of the pace frequently caused the tension to fall apart and the momentum to stop.  A few more anchors in reality would have helped me to stay invested in what was happening. As it was, the show was an occasionally compelling experiment that never coalesced into anything graspable. I absolutely loved their daring, but wanted more cohesion.  

Memory Machine was produced by Silen Marottes.  Written, directed, designed and performed by Sahar Sajadieh and Parjad Sharifi.

For more information and to discuss the show head here.