A Review - Machinal

The Fall main stage show at Antelope Valley College is a play written in 1928 by Sophie Treadwell called Machinal. This very stylized production is directed by Jeffrey Wienckowski and provides the theatre-goer with an interesting and thought-provoking evening. The story follows a character, Young Woman, as she struggles with the discrimination and social injustice that women faced in the 1920's. The play ends with a dramatic courtroom trial in which the sad fate of Young Woman is determined.

Machinal is written in the expressionistic style of theatre. What is expressionism you may be asking? Well, according to Bill Bradley, a Yale graduate, in an answer to a question on the website Quora, " In drama, expressionism is a non-realistic or super-realistic style that uses various external effects (settings, lighting, music, etc.) to represent internal states of mind. Structurally, expressionist plays tend to be made up of a series of short scenes, rather than extended acts as in more naturalistic plays. Expressionism flourished in the 1920’s, especially in Germany and then in the United States." This particular production very much follows the description of expressionism above as it plays out in nine short episodes with moods set by the lighting, fog and music. In addition, this production carries on in the tradition of expressionism in several other ways including using nameless character designations such as Young Woman, Mother and First Man. It also includes a unique style of speaking in short staccato-like phrases that can quickly turn into intense and violent monologues. All of these techniques and styles of expressionism make for an enjoyable production.

Please note that from here forward there will be spoilers. Read on only if you do not wish to know specific plot points.

Before the show begins, the very first thing you notice about this production is the set. There is no credit in the program specifically for set design, though Jonet Leighton is credited as Designer/Technical director. I was immediately captured by the interesting look of the set upon entering the theatre. The curtain is not drawn at the start of the show, so the audience has some time to get a look at the set which is comprised of different sized lattice panels at the back of the stage, sides of the stage and above the stage. The lattice allows for actors to be seen behind the set pieces as they approach or for scenes to be intentionally played behind them as if the audience is spying on the actors through a wall. There are platforms placed on the set which allow for varying levels as well. The scenes played out effectively with minimal set pieces, another characteristic of expressionism. The set design creates the feeling of a prison with a sense that something ominous is about to happen before our eyes.

The technical aspects of the show are also in the style of expressionism. The lighting tended to be dark but was designed to shine through the lattice, creating interesting shadows and moods. The fog machine also created some eeriness when mixed with the lighting. However, there were many times during the evening where the lighting was too dark. There were often times that either the actors could not find their light or that the light simply wasn't there for the actors. While the mood lighting worked well most of the time, there were still too many times that a scene played out with the actors faces in complete darkness and this was a problem.

Regarding the sound, familiar music from the 1920's was used effectively by designers Kathryn Loree Fidler and Bobby Rodriguez Jr. in the style of expressionism to set the tone of the scenes. Sound was also used well in the scene in Young Woman's apartment where we hear the neighbors shouting back and forth with voices alternating from both sides of the stage.

There were also problems with the sound and this is more of a fundamental acting issue than anything else. The actors did not wear individual microphones; this should not be a problem in the beautiful AVC Performing Arts Theater. The auditorium is small enough that actors voices should carry well throughout. Despite having microphones hung above the stage, there were many times throughout the night where the actors simply could not be heard. I found myself leaning forward, straining to hear several times throughout the night, especially in the more intimate scene between Young Woman and First Man. The on-stage microphones did help in some instances, but again, they should not be required. Additionally, there is a tendency for some actors to have very poor diction. In this case, the audience can hear that the actor is speaking, but the actors words are not understood due to poor enunciation. This was the case for many of the ensemble scenes as well as when the lead actress would go off on a tirade and would be shouting out words at center stage. While it is understood that we are watching acting students, there is no excuse for the audience to not be able to follow the action of the play because the playwright's words cannot be heard or understood. This has been an ongoing problem at AVC shows. It is the job of the director to instruct and correct the actors regarding these very fundamental acting skills.

With that said, there were some very nice performances by this talented cast. The most notable was the lead actress Audrey Gibbs playing Young Woman. The actress was on stage for just about the entire show. She showed a significant emotional range to great effect as the story played out. Young Woman is a victim of the time in which she lived and she feels forced to marry a man that repulses her; she is harassed by co-workers; she is guilted by a mother who doesn't show her the love and understanding she requires; she has no maternal instincts and has a baby that she is not capable of loving; she finally feels a strong loving connection with a man who does not feel the same for her; she commits a heinous crime against her husband to free herself from the life that has been forced upon her and pays the ultimate price after facing a justice system that does not treat her fairly. Ms. Gibbs acts out all of these scenes with what appears to be ease and sincerity. She also shows off her graceful physical skills. She is obviously a dancer and at one moment in the show stands en pointe. As I mentioned above, there are a couple of moments in the show where her emotions become violent. At these times, diction becomes a problem and we lose the words. Despite this, Ms. Gibbs carries the shows and her performance is worth the price of admission. Bravo!

Josh Bradley plays the part of George H. Jones, the husband of Young Woman. This character is a man of his time. His "icky" mannerisms and his way of treating women were unfortunately the norm in the 1920's. However, Mr. Bradley was able to show us a side of the character that some people might see as empathetic as he repeatedly shows up at the hospital to be at the side of his wife who has just given birth to his child only to be angrily rejected by Young Woman. Cecilia Altobelli plays Mother with a nice range of emotion as well. We see her at first as a character who is not capable of showing love to her daughter and "forces" her to marry a rich man she doesn't love so that she herself will be well cared for in her old age. Ms. Altobelli is able to find and portray some humor in this otherwise unlikable character. We see another side of Mother at the end of the show as she returns to say a final farewell to her daughter in a very touching scene. Notable performances were also given by Joshua Daniel as First Man, Ileana Fuentes as Defense Lawyer, and Faolan Freeman as Prosecution Lawyer. With a show as stylized as this, it is very noticeable when an actor uses 21st century gestures and tones in their voices, and at times throughout the evening, I found myself distracted slightly by such actions on stage.

I have seen several other shows at AVC directed by Jeffrey Wienckowski. To date, Machinal is his best work. It was an appropriate play for college theatre and, despite some of the fundamental aspects mentioned above, was directed well in the style of expressionism. Taylor Coutcher and Barbara Ramirez as stage managers kept the cues tight and the show flowing well. Costumes and make-up, while I am not an expert on style of the 1920's, all seemed appropriate and well done by Suzanne Scott.

If you have not seen a show at Antelope Valley College, especially in the Performing Arts Theater, you really should. The theater itself is a gem! To be noted, this play is not appropriate for children. Machinal is worth your time and these acting students deserve your support.

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See below for the upcoming fall productions at Antelope Valley College.

EVERYONE should come and see the Original One-Act Festival. You will have a chance to see 9 World Premiere productions including MY very first attempt at play writing. If you come to see the festival and write a review of my show, Single, I will post it here on the blog!!

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Gary S. is your average community theatre geek, residing in the Antelope Valley in Southern California where he participates in community theatre productions a few times per year. He works a 9-5 job in the medical field. He has the two most brilliant and talented kids. This blog is written simply for his need to write and for his love of theatre.