Actors bring depth, complexity to ‘Adding Machine’

Forgive me, but one of the funniest things about “Adding Machine — A Musical” is the publicists’ terming it “darkly comic.”

The story of a man who works faithfully for 25 years until he’s replaced by equipment (surprise … an adding machine) and is driven to homicide just doesn’t make me laugh. Neither does a wife that hounds him so consistently that it borders on abuse, unrequited love, or the man’s love of work, food and simple pleasures.

This production is an adaptation of Elmer Rice’s 1923 play “The Adding Machine.” In the notes about the play Sarah Wallace, the dramaturg, calls the play a work of expressionist drama, which intentionally distorts the world in order to emphasize the emotional life of the characters.

That may well have been the intention, but the execution just doesn’t work. The play is more about a self-righteous, even indignant examination of a man’s life than any form of self-discovery or struggle he endures.

In the original play and this adaptation the main character, Mr. Zero, is dedicated to “the machine” (read: menial corporate work). Although “the machine” destroys him, he’s complicit in its workings.

The point, of course, is that individuals have a choice whether to follow corporate culture or not. But what happens in this production is that the simple pleasures in which Mr. Zero rejoices — ham and eggs, flirtations with a co-worker with a Rubenesque figure and even the chance to do his job — are used to not only poke fun at the man but encourage the audience to also mock him.

We’re led to believe this dolt is the equivalent of a mouse on a wheel. He keeps turning out numbers, but it’s never going to get him where he wants to go. And when he is given a few chances to revolt, he instead falls back into familiar patterns.

See how stupid he is not taking an out? Watch how idiotic those around him are, too. See how they fling religious and ethnic slurs one minute and pledge allegiance to the flag the next? Look how joyful he is although he’s involved with menial work — a true dunce.

The positives in this production are the actors each of whom breathes as much complexity and turmoil into their characters as possible. David Benoit as Mr. Zero is a special stand out who moves naturally through a range of emotions in this cliche-heavy production.

You likely will hear others say that analysis such as this misses the point of this musical. That may be correct.

But for me, “Adding Machine,” just doesn’t add up to more than an exercise in mockery of the middle-class working man.