Machinal is a pulse-pounding journey of women pushed to breaking point by the relentless
machinery of patriarchy, life, expectation and convention. Sophie Treadwell’s play written in 1928,
updated to 2025, in Mandala Young Company’s version, is as relevant today as it was then. It is a
gripping exploration of societal norms, female identity, and the consequences of rebellion.
Inspired by the real-life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder, the play delves into
the life of a young woman caught in the machinery of a rigid and oppressive society.
The play is written in eight episodes depicting ‘the different phases of life that a woman comes in
contact with, and in none of which she finds any place, any peace’. Each episode titles the location
of the social institution or the type of behaviour still expected of women in the 21st century.