Sophie Treadwell (1885 – 1970). Journalist, interviews Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.

Sophie Treadwell (1885 – 1970)


Journalist, interviews Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa

Pancho Villa



WWI correspondent in France



WWI correspondent in FranceCollege theater (Berkeley)



WWI correspondent in FranceCollege theater (Berkeley)Continues to work in the theater

Machinal (1928)

Premiers at the Plymouth Theater, New York, on September 7, 1928

Machinal (1928)


Significant run of 91 performances

Machinal (1928)


Significant run of 91 performancesDirected by Arthur Hopkins

Machinal (1928)


Significant run of 91 performancesDirected by Arthur HopkinsIncluded in Best Plays of 1928 – 1929

Machinal (1928)


Significant run of 91 performancesDirected by Arthur HopkinsIncluded in Best Plays of 1928 – 1929Critics complain about “unsentimental” approach

The Snyer Case, 1927-1928


Ruth Snyer: Long Island housewife accused of conspiring with her lover, Judd Gray, in themurder of her husband



Media frenzy as evidence is found, Judd’salibi broken




Snyder executed in January 1928




Snyder executed in January 1928Secret film footage




Snyder executed in January 1928Secret film footageNew York Daily News publishes execution photo

Ruth Snyer

Ruth Snyder execution

Machinal (1928)EPISODE ONE TO BUSINESS SCENE: An office. A Switchboard Filing Cabinet Adding Machine Typewriter and Table Manifold Machine SOUNDS: Office Machines. Typewriters Adding Machine Manifold Telephone Bells Buzzers

Machinal (1928)

CHARACTERS AND THEIR MACHINES: A YOUNG WOMAN (Typewriter) A STENOGRAPHER (Typewriter) A FILING CLERK (Filing cabinet and manifold) AN ADDING CLERK (Adding Machine) TELEPHONE OPERATOR (Switchboard) (BEFORE THE CURTAIN--Sounds of Machines going. They

continue throughout the scene, and accompany the Young Woman's thoughts after the scene is blacked out)

Machinal (1928)

(AT THE RISE OF THE CURTAIN: All the Machines are disclosed, and all the characters with the exception of THE YOUNG WOMAN) Of these characters, THE YOUNG WOMAN, going any day to any business. Ordinary. The confusion of her own inner thoughts, emotions, desires, dreams cuts her off from any actual adjustment to the routine of work. She gets through this routine with a very small surface of her consciousness. She is not homely and she is not pretty. She is preoccupied with herself--with her person. She has well kept hands, and a trick of constantly arranging her hair over her ears.

Scene 9

EPISODE NINE A MACHINE

Scene 9

(The TWO GUARDS take the YOUNG WOMAN by the arms, and start through the door in the bars and down the passage, across stage and off.

The PRIEST follows; the MATRON follows the PRIEST; the PRIEST is praying.

The scene BLACKS OUT. The voice of the PRIEST gets dimmer and

dimmer.

1ST REPORTER Suppose the machine shouldn't work! 2ND REPORTER It'll work!--It always works! THIRD REPORTER Hush! PRIEST Saints of God make intercession for us--Be merciful--Spare us, oh Lord--be merciful– 1ST REPORTER Her lips are moving--what is she saying? 2ND REPORTER Nothing. THIRD REPORTER Hush! PRIEST Oh Lord deliver us from all evil--from all sin--from Thy wrath--from the snares of the devil--from anger and hatred and every evil will--from– 1ST REPORTER Did you see that? She fixed her hair under the cap--pulled her hair out under the cap. THIRD REPORTER Hush! PRIEST --Beseech Thee--hear us--that Thou would'st spare us--that Thou would'st pardon us--Holy Mary--pray for us– 2ND REPORTER There– YOUNG WOMAN (calling out). Somebody! Somebod--

(Her voice is cut off.)PRIEST Christ have mercy--Lord have mercy--Christ have mercy-- CURTAIN

Ruth Snyder execution

Original production, episode 2

Original production, scene 5

(A shadow falls across the passage in the front of the stage--and there is a shirring sound.) YOUNG WOMAN What is that? Father! Jailer! What is that? JAILER An aeroplane. MATRON Aeroplane. PRIEST God in His Heaven. YOUNG WOMAN Look, Father! A man flying! He has wings! But he is not an angel! JAILER Hear his engine. MATRON Hear the engine.

Scene 2: home machine

At homeBuzzerRadio

Scene 2: home machine

At homeBuzzerRadio- Eating- Marriage

YOUNG WOMAN I got to get married, Ma. MOTHER What do you mean? YOUNG WOMAN I gotta. MOTHER You haven't got in trouble, have you? YOUNG WOMAN Don't talk like that! MOTHER Well, you say you got to get married--what do you mean? YOUNG WOMAN Nothing. MOTHER Answer me! YOUNG WOMAN All women get married, don't they? MOTHER Nonsense! YOUNG WOMAN You got married, didn't you? MOTHER Yes, I did!(Offstage voices.)

Scene 3: Honeymoon machine

Honeymoon


HoneymoonSwiss watch


HoneymoonSwiss watchRepetition of jokes


HoneymoonSwiss watchRepetition of jokesSexual acts

Scene 4: maternal machine

Riveting machine outside


Riveting machine outsideBiological reproduction


Riveting machine outsideBiological reproductionnursing

Fiona Shaw

Scene 5: prohibition machine

SCENE: Bar--Bottles--Tables--Chairs--Electric piano. SOUND: Electric piano.

Scene 5: prohibition machine

SCENE: Bar--Bottles--Tables--Chairs--Electric piano. SOUND: Electric piano. Telephone girl

Scene 6: intimacy machine

Scene 7: domestic machine

Newswires

Scene 7: domestic machine

NewswiresBusiness language infiltrates other spheres

Episode 8: The law machine

Telegraphs

Episode 8: The law machine

TelegraphsCourt routine

Manifesto assignment

Manifesto form:- Making the hidden manifest, meeting rumors,

exorcizing specters


exorcizing specters- Grand history culminating in the present


exorcizing specters- Grand history culminating in the present- Dramatic structure, including crises and turning

point, rather than dialogue or credo



point, rather than dialogue or credo- Dramatic story telling, including the use of the

sublime and a sudden reversal



point, rather than dialogue or credo- Dramatic story telling, including the use of the

sublime and a sudden reversal- Intervention, not just description: manifesto

contributes to the reversal it describes

2nd assignmentEither critical paper or creative assignment: write a Manifesto of Capitalism.

2nd assignmentEither critical paper or creative assignment: write a Manifesto of Capitalism.Think about the form: would it be adequate to copy

formal features from the Communist Manifesto, or should you change the form as well as the content?



Would you emphasize history or ideas?



Would you emphasize history or ideas?What role would the crises of capitalism play in your

account?




account?Whom would the manifesto be against? Marx?




account?Whom would the manifesto be against? Marx?What would it be making manifest?

Manifesto assignment cont.

From what position would you write your manifesto?Would the recent financial crisis and/ Occupy Wall Street play a role?

Sophie Treadwell (1885 – 1970). Journalist, interviews Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.

Documents

Transcript of Sophie Treadwell (1885 – 1970). Journalist, interviews Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa.