Studio 58’s remarkable play, based on H.G. Wells’s 1895 novel The Time Machine, centers around the question: “Are we in a simulation?” The narrative follows The Traveler (Alek Toledo-Cisak), a Victorian scientist who creates a time machine. His journey into the future leads him to a world inhabited by two separate races, challenging the idea that progress guarantees perfection.
The production, directed by Vancouver’s Ming Hudson and written by local playwright Amiel Gladstone, ran at Studio 58 from October 2 to 12. The creative team featured CS Fergusson-Vaux and Lou Marshall on costume design, Jamie Sweeney on lighting, and Kate De Lorne on sound design.
The play opens as The Traveler presents his invention and explores its potential, facing skepticism from friends, The Artist (Izel De Lara), The Doctor (Evan Anderson Sterns), The Journalist (Stella Jack-Rennie), The Military Leader (Dylan McNulty), and The Politician (Ellie McCullough).
The play shifts to The Traveler meeting two future races: the Eloi, gentle surface-dwellers descended from the upper class, and the Morlocks, intelligent, brutish subterraneans who control society. Their coexistence underscores the story’s focus on class and social evolution.
Ryan Cormack’s Victorian-style set design immediately impressed me when I entered the theatre. The central stage was surrounded by unique antique chairs for the audience, and trap doors allowed long grass to rise and fall during the Eloi and Morlock scenes, which I found fascinating.
Exploring themes of power, humanity, and technology, The Time Machine offers a compelling reflection of our current era. I appreciated the way Ming Hudson and Amiel Gladstone adapted the story to suit modern sensibilities and technological advancements. I would sum up the play as whimsical, intriguing, and logical. This was my first time attending a Studio 58 production, and I look forward to seeing many more!
Rating: 5/5
Date watched: October 11th, 2025
Location: Studio 58, Vancouver BC
Theatre 604 
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