Machinal by Sophie Treadwell – Mandala Young Company

‘How can that be? A great sin – a mortal sin – for which I must die and go to hell – but it made me free! One moment I was free!’
The city. A woman is restless. Women are suffocating. Women are silenced. A woman revolts.

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.