| Machinal | |
|---|---|
 Zita Johann and Clark Gable in the original Broadway production of Machinal (1928) | |
| Written by | Sophie Treadwell |
| Date premiered | September 7, 1928 |
| Place premiered | Plymouth Theatre |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Expressionism |
| Setting | An office; a flat; a hotel; a hospital; a speakeasy; a furnished room; a drawing room; a court room; a prison; in the dark |
Machinal is a 1928 play by American playwright and journalist Sophie Treadwell, inspired by the real-life case of convicted and executed murderer Ruth Snyder. Its Broadway premiere, directed by Arthur Hopkins, is considered one of the highpoints of Expressionist theatre in history of the American stage.
Machinal has appeared on a variety of lists of the greatest plays.[1][2][3]
- ^ Taylor, Paul; Williams, Holly (18 August 2019). "The 40 best plays of all time, from Our Country's Good to A Streetcar Named Desire". The Independent. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ^ "50 Greatest Plays of the Past 100 Years". Entertainment Weekly. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 15 October 2020.
- ^ "From Oedipus to The History Boys: Michael Billington's 101 greatest plays". The Guardian. 2 September 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2020.