Review of The Machine as a play

On Friday, Jane and I went to watch The Machine, a new play about the 1997 rematch between Garry Kasparov and Deep Blue, which Garry lost narrowly and harrowingly. The match was the tipping point, the crossover: since then, engine supremacy has become undoubted.

I have written separately about the play from a chess perspective. This blog is about it as theatre. I have similar good things to say, rating it 10/10 as a night out.

Firstly, the venue is a great success. The Manchester International Festival have staged it in the Campfield Market Hall, an empty building, kitted out wonderfully for this event. The set looks like a TV studio, and right from the start, in fact before the start, the audience is given that impression.

Secondly, no knowledge of chess or the match is needed. Jane went along sceptical, but loved it. It was framed as a fight between two people, Garry and the chief programmer Hsu; about how programming took over Hsu's life; about how both people are used by big business: IBM refused Garry a rematch because their commercial aims had been fully met by their victory, so they has all to lose, and nothing to gain, from playing one further time.

The set is excellent. Lighting is strong, they use a 'railway track' on the floor for very good dramatic effect, and the chess scenes are well done: a mixture of some real moves, and then theatrical gestures and movement. The combined effect is very strong.

Finally, I couldn't fault the actors. They were well cast, and whilst Nigel Short and in particular Joel Benjamin won't like how they are portrayed, their portrayal makes for good theatre.

Overall, outstanding.

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