Director: Ella McKeown and Rosie Thackeray
Jobs are scarce, zero-hours contracts are everywhere, and yet there’s always that one smug friend online, proudly wielding a set of keys in front of a semi-detached house after posting several hundred reels from a recent exotic holiday. Enter Bunny: grappling to secure extra shifts in a job she hates, miserable in her childhood bedroom while dreaming of a getaway and posting a years-old beach bikini photo on Instagram. But when one of those photos attracts a little more attention than expected – and a cash offer for more – what starts as a bit of easy side cash and a ticket to a plush lifestyle proves a far slipperier, more self-destructive slope.
A wonderfully unhinged, surreal dark comedy with all-singing, all-dancing cabaret front and centre, F*ck Machine invites audiences to consider the tempestuous and complex ethical questions surrounding online sex work. Bright, in-your-face, and featuring a memorable appearance from an oversized neon-pink electric toothbrush puppet, it’s safe to say this is unlike any show you’ll have encountered before. It excels in its extreme, off-the-wall surrealism, the playful weirdness offsetting its adult subject matter wonderfully. The erratic, frenetic energy is channelled brilliantly by performer Frankie Lipman and performer-writer Helena Braithwaite, cleverly fostering an environment in which you never feel comfortable, safe, or entirely sure what’s coming around the corner.
Where it loses its way is in its transition into full darkness. The energy dries up along with the colour and sparkle, and the force of the message diminishes despite the increasingly emotional subject matter. The surprises and originality disappear, leaving you watching ten minutes of the kind of show you might expect from a less vibrant and inventive theatre company. The surrealism is half-heartedly revisited for the final scene, but it feels as though the balloon burst at least ten minutes earlier.
A post-curtain address from co-director and Ricochet Theatre Director Rosie Thackeray informs us that this production of F*ck Machine was staged after just nine days of rehearsal. Given the tightness and complexity of the show, it’s impossible not to be impressed. Ricochet’s wider work is equally inspiring. F*ck Machine began life as a supported development of what was originally Braithwaite’s fifteen-minute dissertation project. Beyond this, Ricochet’s flagship writing showcase, Bulletpoints, has staged more than 40 pieces of new work, connecting over 130 emerging artists nationwide. Artistic expression struggles when purse strings are tight, but companies like Ricochet, though few and far between, create opportunities for new voices to be nurtured and heard.
F*ck Machine may lose momentum in its final paces, but its bold, fearless and audacious presentation makes it a production that’s difficult to forget.
Runs until 6 June 2026
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