Theatre Royal Bath's Machinal to make London premiere at Old Vic

Sophie Treadwell’s Machinal - starring The Stage 100 rising star Rosie Sheehy - will make its London premiere at the Old Vic later this year.

The production, which ran at Theatre Royal Bath in 2023, will play a limited run from April 11 to June 1, with Sheehy to reprise her lead role alongside the entire original cast.

The cast includes actors Daniel Abelson, Sam Alexander, Steven Beard, Daniel Bowerbank, Imogen Daines, Buffy Davis, Tim Frances, Carla Harrison-Hodge, Emilio Iannucci, Pierro Niel-Mee, and Wendy Nottingham, with further casting to be announced.

Machinal is a 1928 text which tells the true story of Ruth Snyder, an American woman executed by electric chair for the murder of her husband. Journalist and playwright Treadwell had reported on the case as it progressed.

Directed by Richard Jones, the production brings together set design by Hyemi Shin, movement by Sarah Fahie, costume by Nicky Gillibrand, lighting by Adam Silverman, sound by Benjamin Grant, and casting by Ginny Schiller CDG.

Old Vic artistic director Matthew Warchus said: "Once in a while a production or lead performance comes along which makes theatre history. Such is the case with Rosie Sheehy’s gobsmacking performance in Richard Jones’ unmissable production of Sophie Treadwell’s expressionist tour de force, Machinal. I was one of the few lucky enough to catch this show at Theatre Royal Bath and to say I was completely blown away is an understatement. Featuring the entire original cast, I predict this unforgettable production will be a major theatrical highlight of 2024. Get tickets while you can."

Machinal is a Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath production in association with the Old Vic.