'Gripping... doesn't loosen its hold on the senses until its shattering climax' Independent
'A feminist classic... a play decades ahead of its time that still feels astonishingly pertinent' Radio Times
'Intensely atmospheric... feels like it could have been written yesterday' Time Out
Loosely based on the true story of convicted murderer Ruth Snyder, Machinal by Sophie Treadwell is a powerful expressionist drama about the dependent status of women in an increasingly mechanised society.
Structured as a series of scenes about one young woman's struggle to survive in the harsh world of 1920s New York, it is considered a landmark of twentieth-century theatre and has been regularly revived since its premiere.
Machinal features a cast of 10 female and 14 male parts (with doubling) – including a challenging central female role – plus additional offstage voices and extras. Its highly stylised design is sure to give your production team a brilliant opportunity to show their creativity and ingenuity. Authorised one-act and ten-minute versions of the play are also available for performance.
A hit on Broadway when it premiered in 1928, Machinal was made famous in the UK by the landmark, Olivier Award-winning 1993 production at the National Theatre, directed by Stephen Daldry and starring Fiona Shaw. It was last revived on Broadway in 2014, and at the Almeida Theatre, London, in 2018.
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