Machinal by Sophie Treadwell
Director’s Note
I hate director’s notes. True story. My directing style doesn’t really fit nicely and neatly into director’s notes. I light fire to a play. I watch it burn. Then I frantically try to put some of those fires out. The burning, smoking rubble that’s left — that’s our play. The first match I use to light the play on fire? It’s always the question: “Why are we doing this particular play right now?”
For Machinal, I asked the actors, designers, crew, my husband, my academic colleagues, the barista at Starbucks, anyone who would let me sound off: No, really, why ARE we doing this play now?!? This play is a expressionistic, feminist drama written in 1928. The heroine self-destructs when society forces her into the societal expectations of womanhood. But women aren’t forced into any one specific role anymore, right? Right? We have SO MANY OPTIONS. We can BE ANYTHING.
Right? Right?
And yet...and yet...while we have a lot more choices, in some way doesn’t society still prescribe those choices? We are surrounded by images of very specific women and men — archetypes, tropes — that are repeated over and over again anywhere you turn. We see them on TV, in film, in literature, social media, etc. So...what if...what if...we set Machinal in a world much like our own, but we take this notion of archetypes to the Nth degree? And it becomes, not exactly our world, but a world where society is so saturated by societally determined archetypes that people believe that they must pick an archetype to become. And then follow it
through to its logical end. They have to choose ONE role and be the very best at being that one thing.
The Machine of Society keeps humming and churning and chugging along. Times may change, but can the Machine handle a part that doesn’t quite fit any better now than it could 87 years ago? I sincerely don’t know the answer. But, man do I find that question fascinating.
And that’s why we are doing this play right now. Not to find the answer. But to simply ask the question. Enjoy the burning, smoking rubble.
Director’s Note
I hate director’s notes. True story. My directing style doesn’t really fit nicely and neatly into director’s notes. I light fire to a play. I watch it burn. Then I frantically try to put some of those fires out. The burning, smoking rubble that’s left — that’s our play. The first match I use to light the play on fire? It’s always the question: “Why are we doing this particular play right now?”
For Machinal, I asked the actors, designers, crew, my husband, my academic colleagues, the barista at Starbucks, anyone who would let me sound off: No, really, why ARE we doing this play now?!? This play is a expressionistic, feminist drama written in 1928. The heroine self-destructs when society forces her into the societal expectations of womanhood. But women aren’t forced into any one specific role anymore, right? Right? We have SO MANY OPTIONS. We can BE ANYTHING.
Right? Right?
And yet...and yet...while we have a lot more choices, in some way doesn’t society still prescribe those choices? We are surrounded by images of very specific women and men — archetypes, tropes — that are repeated over and over again anywhere you turn. We see them on TV, in film, in literature, social media, etc. So...what if...what if...we set Machinal in a world much like our own, but we take this notion of archetypes to the Nth degree? And it becomes, not exactly our world, but a world where society is so saturated by societally determined archetypes that people believe that they must pick an archetype to become. And then follow it
through to its logical end. They have to choose ONE role and be the very best at being that one thing.
The Machine of Society keeps humming and churning and chugging along. Times may change, but can the Machine handle a part that doesn’t quite fit any better now than it could 87 years ago? I sincerely don’t know the answer. But, man do I find that question fascinating.
And that’s why we are doing this play right now. Not to find the answer. But to simply ask the question. Enjoy the burning, smoking rubble.
|
Set & Lighting Design.... John Curran
|
|
