Josh Radnor, Noah Galvin, and Khalil Madovi are in town at the Soho Theatre, in Jonathan Caren’s play, Hit Machine, directed by Daniel Bailey.
Wes (Radnor) is a successful music producer. His younger brother Alex (Galvin) is talented but in turmoil. They meet in Wes’s palatial but pretentious home, with a designer lamp off-centre and huge sofas.
Quickly, we get an idea of the brothers’ dynamic. Seven years apart in age, they view their parents’ disintegrating marriage with different eyes and memories, finding ways to hurt and needle each other.
In snatches of songs – written by Ben Harper, CJ Harper and Khalil Madovi – we see both Alex’s talent (great vocals by Galvin) and how quickly Wes dismisses it. He has got where he is by dissecting music, not making it.
Once Defy The Leader (Madovi) enters the picture, he becomes the catalyst for explosive conflict between the brothers: one desperate to stay relevant and rich; the other wanting a foot on the ladder.
Hit Machine is funny, sharp and poignant. Radnor and Galvin really feel like siblings, with all the affection, rivalry, and identification you might expect. Their performances are open, raw and absorbing.
Set and costumes by Amelia Jane Hankin suggest the gulf between the brothers, while the lighting by Laura Howard gives a gig feel when required, with a bank of bulbs facing stage out.
All the actors are involved in music outside of this project, but it is Madovi’s charisma that lifts the piece and amplifies the quieter moments between Radnor’s Wes and Galvin’s Alex.
This is the tale of two scared children still locked into a cycle of seeking approval: Alex needs Wes’s affirmation and support; Wes needs to connect with his dad; Alex needs to protect his mum.
Music is the refuge for both, and watching and hearing about the process of creating a hit song is fascinating in itself. Music and money versus artistic expression is a core theme of Hit Machine. Can you be honest and commercial?
This play is small in scale but big in energy. It builds through words, actions – including an amusing exercise routine – and musical artistry. By the closing scene we are as involved as the actors as they break out from their carefully curated corporate cage.
Soho Theatre continues an excellent 2026 season with this piece on American masculinity. It offers the thesis that men can cry or be scared, and that’s OK. Yes, you can argue and fight, and that’s OK too, but you can also admit you are wrong.
This is a play that demands your attention. I’m giving it five stars.
Hit Machine continues at Soho Theatre until 15 Aug – details here.
Photo credit: Bautista Araya