Axis Theater Company

I saw «The Vast Machine» last week and it was remarkable. This theater company specializes in performing pieces based on certain periods of history but are so diligent and thorough in their efforts that this play had a historical consultant listed in the play credits. Much like the Axis play I saw last year, the small black box theater had both sights and sounds that evoked the mood of the era, such that the sound of a ship on the ocean and creaking made by the bough of the ship were playing even before the play commenced.
The basic premise of the play is that in the 19^th century transporting slaves via ship was internationally outlawed. The five actors darting in and out of the stage were playing the last remaining crewmen after a slave uprising that killed the majority of the ship members. In addition to carrying illegal cargo, the ship is also trying to outrun essentially a police ship who may potentially hang them on site should they be discovered. I had invited a friend who I had assured that both the production and acting we would see would be nothing short of excellent based on what I had seen in the year past.
My expectations for this piece were surpassed and whether it was the actors’ obvious panic, sweating, haunted speech, mannerisms or movement across the stage, the acting was a sight to behold. This absolutely felt like a window into another time where desperation and a need to avoid death drove the characters to comparatively unspeakable acts during a time where slavery was legal.
I must say that hearing the singing and speaking of the fictional slaves in the hull of the ship was moving since the narrative of the play really drove home the point that the moral and ethical dilemmas surrounding the reality of men owning other men can easily lead to desperate insanity and possibly death. The show runs through November 7^th and at $ 45 (
), the tickets are underpriced considering the immense quality of the production and the performances.

This is a beautiful black box theater. Make sure you get directions, because you can get lost walking to it, but once you’re there, you’re hooked. The sound reverberates, making the acoustics exactly what any performer would expect from a professional theater.
We used their space for a memorial service that we had little time to plan, and were so taken by their generosity and unbelievable help and support. Their projection screen was impressive, and the afternoon went beautifully.
I can’t wait to see what their next show is. I would see anything in this theater.