Brilliant Adventures

by Alistair McDowall

Nineteen-year-old science genius Luke finally has some peace to work on the extraordinary box in his living room, holed up in a dingy flat on a near-abandoned Middlesbrough housing estate.

After his unbalanced brother Rob introduces him to a wealthy out-of-towner they're thrown into a dangerous world that threatens to tear the brothers apart and unleash the power inside his invention.

Brilliant Adventures is a fast paced tale of brotherhood, addiction and breaking the laws of physics.

Genres: Plays, Theatre

136 pages, Paperback

First published July 3, 2013

Reviews

[Edward Bromberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gangsters and time machines - so far my favorite play this year.

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished this and I said "awful" out loud. The Spaceman monolgue in context is so debilitating ouch

[livv · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Granny Swithins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deftly done. Highly original, imaginative. Gruesome in parts, but packs an emotional punch. Unusual choice of protagonist, with a stutter, who has invented a time machine he thinks is too dangerous to use. Clever combination of genres, from gritty social realism to sci if (while still retaining the grit.)

[Henry Fosdike · Rating 4 out of 5]

The thing that drew me to read Alistair McDowall’s writing was having booked for Pomona at the National Theatre just a day or so earlier. Why not get into reading plays if I’m focused on seeing more of them as well? McDowall’s debut effort, which won the Bruntwood Prize (well done him) focuses on a stuttering protagonist whom happens to have invented a time machine. He doesn’t use it because it’s too dangerous. When his drug dealing brother introduces a rich but questionable friend called Ben into the fold, it seems the time machine might just be the start and end of everyone’s problems.

It’s highly skilled, involving, funny and provides just the right amount of strangeness to keep you entertained. Very enjoyable stuff.