Rob McKinnon

Review: Machinal – Red Phoenix Theatre

Following their exceptionally good A Promenade of Shorts – Season 3 in January, Red Phoenix Theatre returns to the Goodwood Theatre with another absorbing production with Machinal, highlighted by outstanding performances by the cast and particularly Kate van der Horst who is superb in the lead role.

Machinal was written in 1928 by journalist and playwright Sophie Treadwell who, like everyone else at the time, was fascinated by the trial of Ruth Snyder with her lover Judd Gray who murdered her husband in their New York home in Queens on their seventh attempt. The courthouse was packed with journalists and celebrities, and every detail of the crime was picked at by the masses. Treadwell’s response to what would drive someone to commit such a crime is the central theme of Machinal, that of a person crushed by the grind of modernity, work, expectations of marriage, and motherhood on a young woman.

Machinal, takes place over nine scenes (or episodes), Episode One, ‘To Business’ begins with the sounds of office machines, typewriters, adding machines, and other noises and the routine of the office unfolding with the Adding Clerk (Trevor Anderson) speaking in numbers, the Telephone Girl’s (Laura Antoniazzi) bright greetings and the rest of the circular activity and gossip of the office workers (James Grosser, Lisa Lanzi, Sophie Livingston-Pearce, Stuart Pearce and Leighton Vogt). Their boss, Jones (Matt Houston) enters and the office snaps to attention, Jones enquires about Miss A., who is late again to work, as he wants her to take a letter, but he really has other intentions for her. When the Young Woman/Helen (Kate van der Horst) arrives she sees Jones, but she can’t do his letter because her “machine’s not working”. The episode concludes with a skilful monologue by the Young Woman/Helen about Mr Jones wanting to marry her and other imposing thoughts about her situation.

Episode Two, ‘At Home’, centres on the Young Woman/Helen’s discussions with her mother (Sharon Malujlo) intermingled with the sounds of the radio and voices in the street, about her unsureness of marriage and the weight of expectations on her which all feeds into the events of the later episodes.

The production of the play is impressive, the modular minimalist set transforms easily between an office, an apartment, a hotel room, a court room, etc. Light design by Richard Parkhill also adds to the shadow and brightness pressing in on the Young Woman/Helen. Sean Smith’s outstanding sound design is additionally crucial to the tremendous success of the play. The whole production moves adeptly around under Michael Eustice’s direction.

The cast as a whole are brilliant. Kate van der Horst’s mastery of the role of the Young Woman/Helen is formidable as she tackles the many difficult monologues and swings of the role.

Bringing Machinal to South Australia for the first time is a resounding triumph for Red Phoenix Theatre, continuing their line of excellent productions.

Reviewed by Rob McKinnon

Rating; 5/5

Production Details

Thursday 21 May 2026 – Saturday 30 May 2026 (UTC+09:30)

Goodwood Theatre
166 Goodwood Road, Goodwood SA 5034

Tickets

https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1419884

To book tickets to Machinal, please visit https://www.redphoenixtheatre.com/nextplay/.

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