Machinal Reviews

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 9:27pm

Machinal, now opened in a stunning production at the American Airlines Theater, is the first Broadway revival of Sophie Treadwell's haunting 1928 play, inspired by the murder trial of housewife Ruth Snyder...This may be the best-staged play of the season, certainly one of the most aptly designed.
Machinal Review: Is this what feminism looked like in 1928?

[VotePeron]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 9:46pm

According to numerous twitter posts, the show was stopped for 45 minutes an hour into the performance tonight, and then resumed from the top. Oof, what a bummer! Glad whatever it was they got it fixed! Hopefully these great reviews will help positivity.

?@fdilella 1h
At the opening of "Machinal" on Broadway... Show stopped twice... On a break now..."Technical Difficulties".

@DanBenge 1h
That's got to suck for #machinal! Full show stop and audience in the foyer on opening night!

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 9:46pm

Wow, exceptionally strong reviews! What a season this is turning out to be for revivals of plays! Arguably unparalleled.

[AndrewAndrew]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 9:51pm

It was groundbreaking when it debuted in 1929 but does the seminal Ionesco-esque feminist drama “Machinal” presented by Roundabout at American Airlines Theatre still run smoothly or has it rusted over? Find out in our full review!
Click Here for Our Full Review of MACHINAL

[Smaxie]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 10:04pm

Wasn't it 2009 that had Norman Conquests, Joe Turner's Come and Gone, Mary Stuart and Waiting for Godot as the play revival Tony nominees? And the great production of The Seagull, which wasn't even nominated? I think that season certainly rivals this one.

[ucjrdude902]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 10:44pm

Technical difficulties on opening night? Ouch.

[wexy]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 10:48pm

Going tomorrow (Friday) will report back. My friend Damen directed and off off Machinal at Blessed Unrest in 2012 and it was quite good.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 10:54pm

Smaxie, you may be right, unparalleled was perhaps too strong a word (which is why I prefaced it with "arguably"). Still, so far we have had the lavishly received Twelfth Night, Richard III, No Man's Land, Waiting for Godot, and Glass Menagerie and now what looks to be a very acclaimed production of Machinal. And it's still January!
Updated On: 1/17/14 at 10:54 PM

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 11:37pm

And THE WINSLOW BOY, which got very respectable reviews.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 1/16/14 at 11:49pm

"And THE WINSLOW BOY, which got very respectable reviews."

Actually, more like rave reviews and it was truly an outstanding production. Let's hope that show and the great performances in it are not forgotten come Tony time.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 2:23am

I loved Machinal and was impressed with the direction/design. It's def. not a play for everyone, and I'm not sure I loved her in the role, but I love the play and glad to see some expressionistic drama happening on Broadway.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 11:33am

I was there last night when the automation stopped working. After a 45 minute break where I was sure we were going to be sent home (or, rather, to the party), Lyndsey Turner (who has staged this play so friggin' beautifully) gave a short speech saying the show will go on and that 11 volunteers would push the massive set throughout the evening. The show started from the top, as truly thunderous applause greeted the cast as they took their spots for the opening. It was utter magic. The show ended up going off without many hitches, the performances were terrific and everyone felt they saw something truly special.

SPOILER

The final sequence of her walking through all the 'rooms' to get to the electric chair was profoundly moving when you could see all the people working very hard to push the cube around and around. It took on a special resonance of how the machine that was crushing this woman is still made and run by man. There was also an unintentional Chris-like subtext as these people shouldered beams of wood while Hall's character was led to her execution to the sound of the priest delivering Bible verses. It was chilling and simply wonderful theater.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 1:10pm

Can we all get to the important part and discuss Morgan Spector? And those biceps? Oh, my.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 2:28pm

Strangely enough, I was a fan of the baby gay from the bar scene. Totally not my usual type, but he's adorable.

[Kad]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 2:37pm

Yes, baby gay / office twink was super cute.

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 1/17/14 at 2:40pm

I got to congratulate him at the party and chat for a minute. He was super sweet and unbearably adorable. I was so happy he (and the others making their Broadway debuts) got to have a remarkable opening night. It makes an old woman feel good inside.

[NewYorkTheater]

Posted: 1/18/14 at 5:17am

So interesting how the glitch in the set was resolved -- manual labor replacing the automation -- and such a contrast with the performance of Macbeth at Lincoln Center that I attended, where, when the set didn't work after 20 minutes, they sent everybody home.

[ChrisShort]

Posted: 1/18/14 at 11:57pm

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20364394_20776737,00.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/17/theater/machinal-examines-a-wife-driven-to-kill.html?_r=0

[jaxandmci]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 10:50am

I saw Machinal over the weekend and thought it was outstanding. Powerful and haunting and downright creepy with jaw-dropping technical elements right out of the gate. The sound and set design evoke Sleep No More mixed with The Twilight Zone and if this doesn't win the Tony for Best Set Design of a Play, there is no justice on Broadway. Rarely does a play impress me like Machinal did and I am very grateful Roundabout dug this up and gave it such superior treatment.

[Wee Thomas2]

Posted: 2/18/14 at 11:14am

We were at the Saturday matinee as well, over towards the right side of the Orchestra, which gave us an occasional glimpse of the hard work the set dressers do, and really loved the show. As already has been said, this should win for Set Design, and should be strongly considered for Lighting and Sound as well. And Rebecca Hall did an incredible job with a very difficult (and wordy) script.

The story is the weakest part of the show, but it's still a pretty good story.

[GoshGeeGolly]

Posted: 2/19/14 at 6:19pm

(Yes, baby gay and friend need to have a spin-off.)
I enjoyed this play today. Loved the set and thought it was good stuff.