This past weekend, Saint Louis University Theatre opened its final play of the school year, the drama Machinal.

In its second night, Machinal drew in crowds, with the line to buy tickets continuing to extend through the hallway of Xavier Hall’s lower level up to and past the show’s start time. Consequently, the 8 p.m. performance did not begin until 8:20. Despite the grumblings in the audience about the late start, Machinal proved to be worth the wait.

Referring to Machinal as a drama is a huge understatement. The play is dark and intense, with very little comic relief thrown in, as it follows a young woman’s struggle to have some freedom in her life. She leaves the apartment she shares with her mother to enter a loveless marriage with her boss, all the while breaking down mentally and emotionally. When she finally encounters a man who brings passion and a sense of freedom to her life, she is swept up in the affair to the point that she finally commits an act that gives her complete freedom from her husband.

SLU Theatre completely delivered with the technical elements of the production of Machinal. The sets were fairly simple, yet managed to possess the same dark, heavy mood as the action of the play. Machinal also sees SLU Theatre’s incorporation of a new technology for the department. At several points a thin screen came over the stage, showing footage, presumably from the ‘20s, to add to the setting. This was effective, but even more so was the use of this screen to broadcast close-up images of the actors during the play. This technique was utilized during moments of intense monologue, and did a brilliant job of drawing the audience into the psyche of the characters.

While the set, costumes, lighting and other technical factors all definitely played their part in setting the tone for Machinal, it was the actors who made the feeling of the performance come to life. From the minor roles to the leads, all actors were spot-on in their portrayal of the drama’s characters. However, two performances in particular stood out from the rest.

Senior Kevin Boehm deserves accolades for his portrayal of the young woman’s lover. Boehm seemed totally at ease on stage, and his performance felt incredibly natural. Rather than sounding like he was simply reciting memorized lines, Boehm’s delivery of his lines was conversational and felt real. This unfettered, comfortable performance is deserving of even more credit, considering that half of Boehm’s scenes required the actor to be in his underwear. Being able to maintain that level of comfort and control when acting in front of an audience while wearing hardly anything is certainly impressive.

But it was senior Emily Guck who was truly the star of Machinal, as she gave an absolutely haunting performance as Helen Jones, the young woman the play centers around. Guck flawlessly captured her character’s internal struggle, and all the emotion that accompanied it.

And this wasn’t just in the verbal delivery of her lines. Guck’s body language and facial expressions, from her tightness at the touch of Helen Jones’ husband, to her playfulness as Helen Jones interacted with her lover, seemed natural and fluid, rather than acted. Although it was only briefly, the audience was also treated to a sample of Guck’s singing voice, which filled the theater beautifully. All told, Guck gave a performance that was compelling and consistent all the way through, made even more impressive by how emotionally exhausting the role seems like it would be to portray.

Overall, Machinal is a play I would recommend seeing if you have the opportunity. Even if the idea of sitting through a fairly heavy play doesn’t appeal to you, trust me—it’s worth it.

For more information about The Saint Louis University Theatre Department, including a list of the shows performed this season and in past seasons, visit www.slu.edu/theatre.

Tickets can be purchased at the box office located on the ground  floor of Xavier Hall, across the hall from theater.
Go see it. It’s definitely worth your time!