2011.05.19 Drama 'MACHINAL' @WKC King's Cross Campus, @Piccadilly Circus

 In the afternoon, we visited King’s Cross campus because we watched drama ‘MACHINAL’. I’ve not much watched drama however, it was fantastic. Actors’ play was brilliant. Especially the story was interested which was wrote in 1920s. The story was old enough but it could reflect modern issue in Korea.

 

MACHINAL was written by the American playwright Sophie Treadwell. It was first produced in 1928. The title means ‘automatic’ or ‘mechanical’ in French. Sophie Treadwell wrote the play based on the murder trial of Ruth Snyder and her lover, Judd Gray who together murdered Snyder’s husband. Convicted of murdering her husband, Snyder was put to death by the electric chair. Machinal is a powerful piece of drama with demanding themes.#

[Review of MACHINAL]

ORIGINAL AUTHOR           Sophie Treadwell

DIRECTED BY                   Rob Alexander

CASTING                        HELEN (Young Woman) / Rebecca Gosling Croft

                                    GEORGE H. JONES / George Wilkins

                                    LOVER / Jake Riley

Old story returns with modern actresses and actors. ‘MACHINAL’, the title means ‘automatic’ or ‘mechanical’ in French. The play is based on the real story of the murder trial. It is clichéd story however it tells something more than the plot.

Helen, she is too emotional, is disappointed at her life. She always dreams about something make different her life. However, she can’t find way out. She has social maladjustment and she suffers from it. Her mother, who is demanding, never understands her life. She decided to marriage without her free will by her mother. The tragic errors will ruin her life.

The acting is utterly brilliant though the story line and motivation of murder are weak. Especially, the actress who plays as Helen. She expresses Helen’s emotion as controlled without over hype.

It is reccommanded if you are interested in social issues because the story was written 1920s however it reflect modern social issues.