Find out what critics have had to say about Richard Jones’s production which continues to play until the 1st June.
Time Out: ***** “Sheehy is astonishing. There’s something almost Hogarthian about how each scene sees her nail a different aspect of alienation, from her opening panic attack on the subway to her excruciating honeymoon with Frances’s Husband, her time in hospital after the birth of a daughter (who is represented only by the pounding of a pneumatic drill), her pathetic gratefulness to the man she hooks up with. “
The Stage: ***** “Sophie Treadwell’s astonishing 1928 Expressionist masterpiece comes to London with a stunning central performance from Rosie Sheehy.”
London Theatre.co.uk: **** “Rosie Sheehy’s performance is an astonishing feat. Her character, Young Woman, who we later learn is called Helen, is restless, her voice urgent, swinging from staccato, repetitive thoughts that tumble out of her mind to wild and desperate outbursts, like those of a caged animal — which is made literal during the play’s penultimate scene.”
The Telegraph: **** “Based on the true story of a woman executed for murdering her husband, this revival of Sophie Treadwell’s drama is truly exceptional.”
Theatre & Tonic: *** “Overall, I can see why Machinal would have been a thrilling experience back in the day. I can also see why people would really enjoy it now. However, for me I struggled to keep focused and felt like parts dragged. I cannot fault the production itself or the cast and crew, who really did shine throughout.”
All That Dazzles: **** “Sophie Treadwell’s writing meticulously crafts a back story for the young woman to create a lot of depth and reasoning as to what causes her to do what proved to be the end of her. Though not apparent initially, this is a play worth investing all of your attention in as the ultimate payoff is more than worth it. The use of different sections, each furthering the narrative and bringing something new and distinctive to the affair proves an inspired touch as it allows the story to feel fully-fleshed out and one that commands your attention throughout.”
The Reviews Hub: **** 1/2 “The stage pictures created are always intriguing and sometimes beautiful and there is a powerfully gorgeous passage of singing from Daniel Bowerbank that makes the hairs on the back of the neck stand on end. The company’s movement is balletic, choreographed by Sarah Fahie. The show is not at all short of fun, beauty and joy. It does, however, swing back constantly to effects that unsettle and disturb. Some shows this well executed invite a second watch, to register moments that flew by the first time. Going to see Machinal a second time would require a high level of commitment. Going to see it once, though, that is a glorious way to witness theatre working its magic.”
West End Best Friend: *** “Sheehy’s performance is, as mentioned, mammoth and it is worth witnessing her portrayal. However, the journey she takes starts at such a heightened place that it diffuses the state she must reach later on, although she does everything she can to get it there.”
Broadway World: *** “Coming in at a gruelling 100 minutes all-through (the release of a beautiful, ethereal singing interlude in the denouement was most welcome), the play is not an easy watch. Whether it’s worth the emotional investment required on both sides of the fourth wall for its equivocating payoff is moot. I was certainly amongst what will probably be a minority, left unmoved and glad to escape the yellow peril in which I had been trapped for two hours or so, my sympathies lying more with the unseen, unmentioned working class women then, and now, struggling to feed themselves and their children in a world as cruel as ever towards those who can’t fit in.”
City Am: “After this version of the play premiered at the Theatre Royal Bath, Old Vic artistic director Matthew Warchus called Rosie Sheehy’s lead performance a piece of “theatre history” – six months later, it’s up and running at his own theatre. But while I agree Sheehy’s performance is sensational, I’m less convinced this is an exceptional production, or that the play has stood the test of time particularly well.”
London Unattached: “Sheehy’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary and truly visceral. Through her portrayal, she skilfully channels a profound sense of frustration, entrapment, and the haunting loneliness that accompanies her character’s fate.”
London Theatre 1: **** “All things considered, it’s sometimes an uncomfortable evening at the theatre, but it’s nonetheless an intense and intriguing experience.”
British Theatre Guide: “This Machinal lasts nearly two hours at a single stretch with only a few laughs to lighten it. It doesn’t set out to win our sympathy, but rather asks us to observe and consider Helen’s situation. Has that changed enough in the 90+ years since it was first staged?”
Machinal will play at the Old Vic Theatre from the 11th April until the 1st June. To book tickets visit: From the Box Office, Love Theatre.com or London Theatre Direct.