Review "Dark Library: The Time Machine"
- ThomM
- Apr 24
- 7 min read
Updated: Apr 27
Immersive adventure jumps across time and literature in a mash-up of Wellsian creations that’s quite unlike anything you’ve seen. Make time for it.
If popular science fiction has taught us anything, it’s this: never meddle with time. Doc Brown found that out with a jolt in Back to the Future, Billy Pilgrim got unstuck in it in Slaughterhouse-Five, and Edward Turner, the clock-hopping inventor in H.G. Wells’ canonical masterpiece The Time Machine was absolutely devastated by it. Yet, there’s something so intoxicating about manipulating time and space – forward and backward – that we keep going backward…and forward again to see the results. In the After Hours Theatre Company’s latest immersive production, the results are intriguing, imaginative, and entirely worth your time.
As you’ll note in your invitation to Dark Library: The Time Machine, you’ve been summoned to a very special meeting of the minds in London, 1894. Try not to get too attached to the year – if the machine’s inventor succeeds tonight, you won’t be here very long. Your membership in the Royal Society for Improving Natural Knowledge has granted you the rare privilege of witnessing what the impassioned Turner promises will be the “scientific discovery of the ages.” Scuttlebutt has it he’s been tirelessly testing his fantastical contraption and now intends to unveil it, in all its power, to the who’s-who of the Victorian scientific community. That’s includes you, by the way, and others in the audience, all freshly minted members of the Royal Society – joined by several memorable literary characters drawn from the pages of numerous H.G. Wells imaginative tales.
There’s the tortured, Dr. Benjamin Griffin (Ian Wolf) - you may know him better as the Invisible Man – the already-quite unhinged, pre-South Pacific vivisectionist Dr. Moreau (Paul Stanko), a sturdy though increasingly concerned astronomer-seaman, Captain Ogilvy (Luke Rampersad), haunted by his past encounter with Martians, and, of course, the soon-to-be time traveler himself, Mr. Turner (Will Riddle), who has summoned this eclectic group to gather in his proper English drawing room. As you mingle with each man of science at his individual workstation, you’ll uncover his discipline – or lack thereof – along with the theories, obsessions and motivations that brought each one here on this most auspicious night.
Overseeing the evening is Lord Filby (Gabe Oliva) – a gracious if somewhat stiff-upper-lipped geologist, who is apparently related to the Queen, which may explain both his lordship and his rather convenient rise to the presidency of the Royal Society. He, along with his forward-thinking, suffragette-minded daughter, Lady Ann (Katherine Powers), and his no-nonsense assistant Miss Watchett (Janaya Jones), greets you before ushering you toward the aforementioned luminaries. Each makes quick business of letting you know their mixed feelings about the others, but all share a unified curiosity to see Turner’s fully-realized time machine spark to life, whether they believe in it or regard it as pure folly.
After a welcoming toast, yet well before the tumultuous events of the evening unfurl, Filby insists that Lady Ann sing for the guests. Her feminist resistance to such a quaint demand ruffles her father’s feathers, but she soon relents, offering a heartfelt rendition of Beautiful Dreamer that is nearly as lovely as she. Turner soon joins her, and together they turn the song into a tender, harmony-laced duet. It will be the last calm moment of the night.
Pre-time-travel entertainment concluded, Turner now launches into his theory of a fourth dimension – the ability not to just measure time, but move through it – and demonstrates this with a prototype machine no larger than a toaster. Before forty or so curious 1890s attendees (otherwise known as 2026 audience members - a bit of time travel right there), the device vanishes and then reappears after what Turner claims was a thousand-year journey. Is it a parlour trick, as Filby insists, or a genuine temporal leap? Turner will need to do more to convince the doubters.
To silence the skeptics, he unveils the true marvel: the full machine, miraculously hidden in plain site until this very moment. It’s what happens next – after he and a few willing interactive recruits throw the switch on the invention – that determines the course of the night and possibly the fate of humankind. Murder, Scotland Yard, Morlocks and the Captain's worst fear – that creeping demon red weed – all vie for your attention.
Did I mention there are optional 1890s cocktails included? I’ll have that second one now please.
Dark Library: The Time Machine is an unabashed success, which likely explains the recent announcement of an extended run. It’s fast, fun and intelligent, leaving you wanting more (in the best possible way), which is about the highest compliment a show can earn. As the time machine hurls us forward thousands of years and then drags back again to late-19th century England, we witness intrigue, mystery, violence, suspense and even a not-so-hidden love story along the way. You’ll also see the most inventive mash-up of characters from several of Wells’ most beloved stories, thrown together in ways the noted futurist may have never imagined himself.
Director Jennifer Strattan takes Blaise Hemingway’s cleverly written story and delivers Dark Library: The Time Machine as one of the standout productions of the early 2026 immersive season. The inspired decision to gather characters from across Wells’ works and toss them together into a single, tightly-contained narrative – is brilliant in and of itself. It’s also brave, as there are no side-area wanderings to get away for immersive interactions. It all happens right there in front of you and everyone else, a feat that requires an impressive number of moving parts to click together simultaneously. They do. The entire narrative flows seamlessly, but the most memorable moment of the night is a flashback scene that reveals the Captain’s earlier encounters with visitors from another world, an acted, sung and danced trifecta that lingers long after the time machine powers down.
Guided by Strattan’s brisk, inventive direction the uniformly stellar cast breathe fresh life into already indelible characters. Nary a false British accent in the lot, each performer inhabits their role with full conviction and depth. There’s no-wink-and-nod here – the actors are fully committed to creating and sustaining three-dimensional portrayals, whether on script or ad-libbing with the audience. The ensemble is tremendous across the board, but on the night we attended, Stanko, as the clearly deranged Moreau, was a stand-out. His performance – teetering on the edge before finally erupting – combined with some eye-opening stunt work, is a marvel.
Along with nailing the narrative, the busy cast also sing, dive into vigorous dance routines, and often double or even triple up on roles. On the improvisational side, all are more than capable, but Wolf and Oliva are especially on point here. Extra credit goes to Jones as Miss Watchett; she not only acts, but excels at steering and informing the audience about house rules and where they can roam during the pre-show section of the shown – all while staying fully in character. And in addition to their dramatic work, Powers, Riddle and Rampersad are exquisite singers.
Starting with a great narrative gives the show its foundation, but the immersive and interactive elements – plentiful, particularly in the first half of the experience – elevate the entire experience. Audience are welcomed into the story sensibly, provided opportunities to be participate without ever derailing the plot. It’s always a delicate balance in immersive theatre, how much rope to give the guests, and here it’s just the right amount. And, of course, as with any smartly conceived interactive show, participation is entirely optional. If you’d just prefer to sit back and watch the whole thing happen, you’ll still have a fine time.
All production elements are top-notch with full and impactful sound employed especially well, most notably during the time-travel sequences. Costuming by Liuba Randolph and Natalia Aksenova is period-effective without ever feeling overdone. Dance choreography by Emily DePauw is enthralling, particularly in the number where characters are thrust around like living timepieces as both machine and performers seem to dance across the years.
A special mention goes to E.K. Dagenfield and D'Angelo Reyes for their imaginative production design. Many immersive shows face significant challenges when confined to a single performance room; once the fourth dimension, er, wall is opened to allow audience inside, a space's limitations can quickly reveal themselves. Not so in this case. The impeccably crafted salon, with its scientific workstations in the corners, and it's well-furnished period drawing room in the middle, suits both the story and visual demands beautifully. Small touches throughout are especially appreciated, so be sure to read the posted wall items and peek into a drawer or two to discover little narrative hints and sly informational easter eggs along the way. The real home run, though, is the hidden until its not full-scale time machine.
Producer Graham Wetterhahn and his After Hours Theatre Company are widely regarded for their cutting-edge immersive productions in Los Angeles. Here, alongside co-Artistic Director Jennifer Oundjian, Wetterhahn has created yet another memorable addition to their repertoire and the Dark Library series, which reimagines literature as living, breathing experiences. Greater L.A. is fortunate to have numerous quality immersive/interactive options and After Hours should be on your short list. This production also feels especially prescient and well-timed given the growing anxieties associated with the power and possible repercussions of the AI era we’re only just now entering.
There are a few ticket-tier levels in Dark Library: The Time Machine. The basic ticket grants entry for the show but with no themed cocktails. The mid-priced option includes those tasty period-inspired drinks. For the fullest immersion, the Royal Society ticket allows early admission and therefore extra face-to-face time with the characters before the narrative kicks into high gear – an upgrade worth considering if you’re interactively inclined. All tiers deliver a memorable trip through time.
And when queuing up to enter, don’t forget to keep your voices low, so that Head Librarian (Parker Sela), a.k.a. your 1890s check-in person, isn’t forced to “Ssssh” you.
After Hours Theatre Company
5628 Vineland Ave
Los Angeles (North Hollywood)
Various dates thru May 17, 2026
Tickets: $ 45.00-119.00
Immersive side note:
Once you step inside the theatre, having left the chaos of 21st century America behind, you’ll find your best chance to mingle, question and converse with the 19th-century characters. Whom you choose to chat with - and about what – is where your individual experience of the evening presents its richest opportunity. This pre-show before the “real” show is itself a Wells fan’s dream, even if one or two of the brilliant minds he created lean toward nightmare. Drink up*.
*if over 21 with proper ID
