I am going to say right off the bat that I have a very intimate relationship with Elmer Rice’s play, The Adding Machine.  Having played Mrs. Zero myself, and having been nominated for a National acting scholarship because of that performance (/ shameless self promotion) I feel not only an intimate bond with the character, but with the show as a whole, and I was extremely enthusiastic about seeing this production of Joshua Schmidt and Jason Loewith’s musical adaptation of the play.  Perhaps it is my little extra knowledge of the show, perhaps it is my tiny, itty bitty personal bias, or perhaps it is Speakeasy Stage Company’s proven dedication of pushing the limits of quality and affordability, but this production is truly one of the finest I have seen in Boston in the last five years.  It would absolutely be a sin to miss it.

The vocal performances of the cast, and their seamless unity integrated with the unique stage design and carefully constructed costume and lightscape to completely consume the audience and pull them into a dark world that, while dated, seems strangely and uncomfortably familiar.  From the first light hitting the menacing number-scrawled scrim, to the last painful note, the audience is enveloped in a surreal world of hopeless repetition- a theme which plays out over and over again throughout the piece- in content, music, and staging, and yet, it never feels boring.  I was completely enraptured.

Adding Machine A Musical is a very familiar story about a man trapped in a life he doesn’t want to live, a slave to predictability and habit. So repetitive is his life and the lives of those around him, that he isn’t even given a name beyond Mr. Zero.  After one desperate moment, a violent act rips him out of that life and we watch as Zero try to cope with quickly changing circumstance, through life, death, and beyond.  Zero’s few relationships, with his wife, his coworkers and fellow prisoners are also examined in their own mismanaged, micro-repetitive way.  Left with many opportunities for redemption in both life and death, we watch as Zero continues to make the wrong, easy choices out of habit and fear.  This familiar tale is both comforting and disturbing when faced with our own life choices.

A cast full of Speakeasy Stage Company veterans completely embodies this solemn world.  It would be impossible to list them in order of importance because each one was perfectly fit to their role.  The four lead players, as I will call them for the purposes of this review, Mr. Zero, Mrs. Zero, Dasiy Devore, and Shrdlu, were expertly supported by a completely committed and professional “chorus”.  Sean McGuirk was ominous and foreboding as the Boss and his otherworldly counterpart, The Fixer.  Leigh Barrett played an impeccable Mrs. One, confidently walking the line between blending into the scene and standing out.  Her voice was true, clear, and exceedingly pleasant to listen to.  Cheryl McMahon and Bob De Vivo as Mrs. Two and Mr. One respectively, cast an eerie and melodic tone into the choral music, and had tremendous stage presence.  David Krinitt as Mr. Two could not have been more perfectly cast in the role.  His physicality, costuming and makeup were expertly crafted to compliment his wonderful vocal tone and easy movement.  He was my favorite “chorus” personality.

Brendan McNab was a powerhouse of hopelessness as Mr. Zero.  His voice was superb, his movement, intentioned.  His impassioned soliloquy, “Zero’s Confession” left me breathless.  It took a tremendous talent to play such a demanding role with such an air of nonchalance.  Amelia Broome blew me away as Mrs. Zero.  Knowing most of her lines by heart, I felt I was extra critical of her movement and intentions, and she was beyond even my already high expectations for her (having been brought to tears at her portrayal of Margaret in The Light on the Piazza).  She was especially excellent in her grating yet somehow sad aria “Something to Be Proud Of” which opens the show.  Liz Hayes as Daisy Devore was wonderful.  Far from your typical ingénue, Hayes plays Daisy with grit and frustration.  Her vocal work, especially her accent was not what I expected and was a great surprise.  Her unusual beauty was exactly what I would have pictured, and her melodic voice was a great contrast and compliment to the role.  John Bambery gave a heartrending and touching performance as Shrdlu, arguably the only compassionate and soulful character in the piece.  Bambery has a strong and clear voice that I loved listening to.  This stellar cast was expertly directed by Paul Melone and Steven Bergman, and choreography by David Connolly was strong and diverse.

I was so taken with the production and I implore everyone to see it.  See it before it’s gone because you will be missing out on something really unique and special.  Thank you to the cast and crew for allowing me to relive a little part of my past in a very special way.

Brendan McNab and Liz Hayes as Mr. Zero and Daisy Devore (Photo: Mark L. Saperstein)