Review: HUMAN ERROR at Rogue Machine At The Matrix Theatre

Human Error is the West Coast premiere of a must-see new comedy at Rogue Machine on Melrose through September 8th.   This hilarious political comedy of errors tracks the fallout of a disastrous embryo mixup at a fertility clinic in Ohio with two couples who could not be more different.  Successful businessman Jim and stay-at-home mother Heather, Christian right-wingers with three boys, love their suburban McMansion and worship sports, NASCAR, and the NRA.  Sameer and Madelyn, childless, atheist, socialist, yoga-loving, NPR-listening academics, are horrified to even be socializing with Heather and Jim — much less depending on them to carry their baby to term.

In the sublime tradition of the madcap screwball comedies of the 1930s and the great farces of the stage by writers like Molière and Aristophanes, Human Error has dazzling, brilliant writing.  Ohio-based playwright Eric Pfeffinger has achieved a rather miraculous feat.  Human Error makes a bold satirical comment about the divisiveness and hysterical tribal partisanship of the era we live in, while being wildly entertaining, refreshing, razor-sharp, and genuinely heartwarming.  Shaped by impressive direction from Joshua Bitton, performances are spectacular.  Bring-down-the-house, hilarious comedic star turns are filled in with real shading, nuance, and heart.

As a theatre company, Rogue Machine consistently creates and hosts some of the most exquisitely produced, electrifying and exciting new work in Los Angeles.  But if I were forced to choose from Rogue Machine’s embarrassment of riches, Human Error would land on my shortlist of absolute, must-see theatre.  Human Error is something truly special, a  pleasure you do not want to miss.

It is rare that you find an actor with leading man looks, sensitivity, genuine likability, and uninhibited comedic gusto and goofiness like Kapil Talwalkar.  Talwalkar is absolutely perfect for the role of Sameer, winning, endearing, hilarious, and perfectly calibrated.  He finds a real sweetness and surprising layers in the character, and I was absolutely captivated watching him.

Kiel Kennedy is a revelation as Jim.  The physical comedy he brings to the role is priceless, with his booming voice, intense physical presence and rugged, hilariously menacing, heartiness.  Kennedy’s meltdown moment when he finds out that Sameer is from Michigan is a sheer showstopping crescendo of comedic magic.  This is an irresistible, genius performance from comedic star Kiel Kennedy, through and through.

In perhaps the most demanding role of Heather, Lauren Burns manages to shade a character who at first seems like a ditzy suburban fembot into a complex woman with deep-rooted dignity and convictions, inspiring generosity, and more intelligence and strength than anyone gives her credit for (except her adoring husband).  I  found myself both falling out of my chair laughing and tearing up with Heather, in a spellbinding, powerhouse turn from Lauren Burns.

Joshua Bitton was one of my favorite things in a recent triumphant production of Shaw’s Misalliance at A Noise Within, where he delivered a truly superb performance as equal parts revolutionary socialist, apologetic accountant and drunk relative.  As director, Joshua Bitton’s work here in Human Error is equally exceptional — pitch-perfect, exquisitely sensitive to nuance and comedic shading, organic, rhythmic, absolutely delightful and radically human.

Human Error explores a vital theme with an enviable, delicious sense of uncensored humor: not everyone shops at the same stores, watches the same news feeds, or votes for the same leaders, but we are all humans with a lot to give to each other, and a lot to learn from each other, no matter how different we seem on the surface. This seems like common wisdom, maybe even a bit cheesy, but nowadays it is audacious, even subversive.

We find ourselves living in a hysterical, hostile era of moral panic and manufactured outrage.  All too often virtue is confused with self-righteous grandstanding, belligerence, and judginess.  We are so extreme in our tribal intolerance that we even flirt with beloved medieval institutions like public shaming, ostracism, and censorship.  But somewhere, even in our profoundly uncivil era, we know we are better than this.

And we find a delightful tonic of kindness and sanity here in the big-hearted, insightful humanity of Human Error.  With a generous helping of riotous laughter, fierce wit and bring down the house performances, comedies do not get better than this.

Photos by Jeff Lorch

Human Error runs at Rogue Machine through September 8th.  Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre is located at 7657 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046.  You can get tickets by calling 855-585-5185 or clicking the link below:

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